<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Spring Forward or You'll Fall behind by FireThatFox</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27341677">Spring Forward or You'll Fall behind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireThatFox/pseuds/FireThatFox'>FireThatFox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confusion, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, Gambling, Guilt, Hashirama wasn't to blame for Madara's death, I haven't decided how dark to make him yet, Ino Is A Good Friend, Itachi is a bit awkward, Izuna gets annoyed, Izuna is stronger than he thinks as long as he has sakura, Izuna just got caught in the middle, Kakashi doesn't like Hashirama, Love Triangle, Major Charachter Death, Murder, Naruto there is spirit, Not so golden Hashi, Obito and kakabest buds, Past Revealed, Plotting, Possessive Behavior, Powers struggle, Protective Izuna, Rape, Redemption, Sakura doesn't care about money, Sasuke is a selfish spiteful asshole, Sasuke still a douche, Senju and Uchiha free enterprise, Shisui along for the ride, Swearing, Tobirama didn't know everything, Uchiha control, and a little controling, auctioning people, blame, blaming others, bondage minor, but it's becuase he's scared, dangerous tsunade, family pressure, hashi made a really big mistake, he was to blame for Rin, human experiments non graphic, hummmmmm selfishness, ino and itachi plotting, ino being loud, itachi has a mission and shisui will help, izuna will help her with that, kinda a crime au but not a mafia one, living with guilt, losing women but not int he way you think, more plotting, naruto tries, not a crime or mafia au, odd man out, orochimaru stuff, part of the title, past fades into the present, poor wittle guy, protective itachi, sakura needs tof ind a new apartment, sasuke is a jealous kid, sex and stuff, sex auctions, she cares about people, staying sane, tobirama protects hashi no matter what, too bad Madara died, understanding sakura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:34:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>60,552</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27341677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireThatFox/pseuds/FireThatFox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Last names don't matter when there are birds to feed.</p><p>Who cares what someone does for a living when there is tempura to eat.</p><p>...and what's wrong with making a stranger smile once in a while?</p><p>Absolutely nothing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura &amp; Senju Hashirama, Haruno Sakura &amp; Uchiha Itachi, Haruno Sakura &amp; Uchiha Izuna, Haruno Sakura/Senju Hashirama, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Itachi, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Izuna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>392</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>214</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hashirama watched the woman’s face filter through the most remarkable string of emotions as the dark haired man beside her spoke briefly.  He looked familiar, but Hashirama couldn't put a name to the face.  An Uchiha, yes, but which one...not one he was familiar with, Madara would know of course, but Madara wasn’t there.</p><p>His hand reached back into his bag for another slice of bread.  He was taking a little time off of work and had come to the park to feed the birds and watch people.  There wasn’t too much that went on in the park he had realized a few days ago when he had first started coming.  </p><p>When it had been built he had imagined more people milling around on the grass, walking beside the lake and strolling down the path.</p><p>...maybe everyone was at work, like he ought to be.</p><p>“It’s fine Sasuke.  I don’t even care anymore.”</p><p>Hashirama looked up to see the woman rise from her seat and walk away from the dark haired man, the Uchiha.  Hashirama frowned at the man, he looked...relieved.  Well, that didn’t seem right.  Clearly he had just ended things with the woman or had given her some sort of bad news.  Should he really be looking so smug, or pleased with himself.  Hashirama shook his head.</p><p>The woman had been beautiful.  She hardly wore any makeup, dressed nice and spoke well...clearly she was educated and...it wasn’t any of his business.  He always did this, got too involved, which is why he was taking some time off work.  To...refocus as his cousin Tsunade called it.</p><p>“More like desensitization.”  Hashirama muttered to himself.</p><p>Hashirama lost himself to his thoughts, he hadn’t even noticed the dark haired man leave and the pink haired woman he had been speaking to earlier come back.</p><p>“Asshole.”</p><p>Hashirama lifted his head and looked at the woman.  She was looking down at a phone in her hand, apparently she had left it earlier and had come back for it.  She sat down on the bench she had been sitting on before with her...assumed Ex-boyfriend.</p><p>She looked up and saw him looking at her.  He blushed, he hadn’t meant to stare.  </p><p>“Sorry.”  He muttered.</p><p>“No, I’m sorry.”  The woman offered with a hesitant smile.  “I didn’t mean to glare at you, I’m just having a...bad day.”  </p><p>Hashirama chuckled.  “Yeah, I couldn’t help but notice...and it isn’t even noon.”</p><p>The woman blinked.  “Yeah...not even noon.  Have a good day.”</p><p>Hashirama nodded and watched her walk away down the path toward central Konoha.  He wondered who she was, but it didn’t matter...he had too many other things to worry about...like if he had enough bread for the rest of the week for the birds.</p><p>Dropping the last two crumpled pieces of bread to the cobbled pavers he rose from his seat and brushed the remaining crumbs from his pants.  He’d be back tomorrow.  He wondered...if he would see her again or if this was one of those moments Madara always spoke of.</p><p>He laughed to himself.  Madara Uchiha and his ‘Philosophy’, or rather a lack of…</p><p>Sakura shut the door to her office and hung her coat up on the back.  Sitting at her desk she let her head fall on top of her tall stack of paperwork.  </p><p>“Asshole.”  She muttered again.  “There goes my entire lunch break.”</p><p>Without looking she reached out to the left and grabbed a folder.</p><p>Six hours later she kicked the door to her apartment closed, her arms full of groceries.  It had been two weeks since she had started at Konoha Hospital.  Two weeks since she had moved out of her apartment she had shared with her boyfriend Sasuke.  Six hours since they had ended their relationship of two years.</p><p>Maybe this was good.  Maybe this was just what she needed.</p><p>Sakura walked over to her kitchen and set her groceries on the counter when her phone rang.</p><p>“Hey Naruto.”  Sakura answered her cell.  She knew why he was calling, Sasuke had told him...obviously.</p><p>“Not tonight no, sorry.  I think I’m going to make dinner and then go to bed early.”</p><p>She put her bottled water in her fridge and reached for her carrots, onions and celery.</p><p>“Yeah, I’ll be at the dojo this weekend, see ya then.”  </p><p>She ended the call with one of her oldest friends and shoved the veggies into the crisper.  Yeah, this weekend, two days away…</p><p>Beep  Beep  Beep...Sakura groaned as her alarm went off at five am.</p><p>...an hour later she pushed the door to her office open at Konoha Hospital to see her friend and mentor in her office chair.</p><p>“Sakura, on time as usual, come on girl we have a surgery to oversee.”  Tsunade grabbed her by the hand upsetting her coffee and making her spill a little down the front of her shirt.</p><p>“Shisou...wait I have to…”  Sakura began to protest as she was dragged bodily down the hall toward the OR.</p><p>“Here.”  Tsunade took the coffee cup, the donut and the briefcase from Sakura’s hands and pushed them into a nurse's arms that happened to be walking by.  “Put that in Doctor Haruno’s office.”</p><p>“You.”  She barked at Sakura.  “Scrub up kid.”</p><p>Four hours later…</p><p>“What are you doing for lunch today, want to grab something with me?”  Tsunade asked as they changed out of their OR scrubs back into their regular clothes.</p><p>“Actually, I was going to go to the park today if you don’t mind Shisou.  I went yesterday and it was kinda...relaxing.”  Sakura smiled, thinking of the man she had seen there yesterday feeding the birds.</p><p>“The park?”  Tsunade rolled her eyes.  “You sound like my cousin, all he does is go to the park now.”</p><p>“Hey isn’t that where that worthless Uchiha dumped you?”  Tsunade eyed her friend.  “Why would you want to go back to the scene of the crime, Sakura?”</p><p>“Liberation Shisou, liberation.”  Sakura waved over her shoulder as she walked away.  How the hell did everyone already know she had been dumped?</p><p>Hashirama was sitting on the same bench as yesterday, a different bag of bread in his hands as he fed the birds.  It was a beautiful day out, not very cold but not warm yet.  It was a nice day for a jacket but not a sweater.  He liked spring, it was his favorite season.</p><p>He sat back, letting the bag fall onto his knee as he watched the birds scramble and fight for the bread.  It was strange how watching the birds peck and squabble was so calming.  Perhaps it was because unlike them, he had absolutely nothing to do that day, or the day before, or tomorrow.</p><p>Hashirama chuckled to himself.  He would much rather be at work but...it was policy...well, more like it was Tsunade insisting he take time off after...it had happened.  She meant well but...all it really did was give him time to reflect, to dwell and to drown in his own guilt.  He was supposed to be the best and he hadn’t even been able to save...his best friend.</p><p>What good was being the best at what you did if you couldn’t save those who mattered most to you…</p><p>“Hey.  Do you come here everyday?”  Sakura tilted her head to the side and looked at the brown haired man who had obviously been deep in thought.  Bad thoughts from the look on his face.  “You were here yesterday too, I just wondered.”</p><p>Hashirama looked up into green eyes.  It was her, the woman from yesterday.  Had he conjured her with his imagination?</p><p>“Oh uh, yes, well, for the last few days at least, uh the last week.”  He stuttered briefly before straightening his back and collecting himself.  “I noticed you’re back today as well.”</p><p>Sakura turned and looked at the bench she had been at with Sasuke yesterday and nodded.  “Closure.  Have you had lunch?”</p><p>Hashirama blinked.  Was she...asking him out?</p><p>“I’m on my lunch but I don’t want to eat alone and I don’t want to eat with anyone I know because they will ask me too many questions about things I have no desire to talk about.”  She smiled at his bewildered expression.  “You’re a stranger.”</p><p>“I don’t have any candy.”  Hashirama started to laugh.  “...but I won’t ask you any questions either.  Lunch sounds great, if you’ll let me buy.”</p><p>“I asked you to join me.  I’ll buy.”  Sakura smiled at him.  She had never done anything like this before and it felt...exciting and new.</p><p>Hashirama stood up and bowed casually to her.  “My name is Hashirama, and you are?”</p><p>Sakura smiled, her mood suddenly light.  “I thought you said you wouldn’t ask me any questions.”  She touched his arm gently reassuring him she hadn’t taken any offense.  “My name is Sakura.  It’s nice to meet you Hashirama.  Do you like tempura?  I know a great tempura place right over there.”</p><p>Hashirama looked to where she had tilted her head.  “It’s my favorite tempura place, how did you know?”</p><p>Sakura smiled.  He hadn’t said that he actually liked tempura, only that ‘that’ was his favorite place for it.  It was good enough for her.  “Great, come on.”</p><p>Hashirama smiled for the first time since Madara had died on his operating table a week ago.  This was just what he had needed.</p><p>“So, what do you do for a living Sakura?  I assume you work nearby since you're on your lunch, or do you travel for work?”  Hashirama asked her once they had settled into their table at the tempura cafe.</p><p>“Uh uh, no personal questions remember?”  She teased him.  This was fun, it was different and new.  “Let’s keep this vague okay?  I think we both need it, whatever this is.  You looked pretty glum earlier in the park, like you also have something to forget.”</p><p>Hashirama opened his mouth to protest.  He didn't want to forget Madara no, but maybe he wanted a distraction from his grief, something she was providing admirably to him right now and using him in turn to forget her...pain.</p><p>“Vague, I can do vague.  Agreed then, no personal information, no last names or occupations, where we live, who our friends are or...our most embarrassing secret?”  He teased her.</p><p>“I’m definitely not telling you my most embarrassing secret.”  Sakura smiled, her eyes crinkling up into green sparkly half moons.</p><p>For the first time in six days, Hashirama breathed guilt free air and smiled freely.  “Good, I’m not telling you mine either.”</p><p>They talked of nothing and everything.  Their lunch came and went, Sakura lost track of the time.  </p><p>“Oh crap, I’m so late.”  She squeaked, as she looked at her phone, throwing her money down on the table.  “Sorry, gotta run or I’ll never hear the end of it!”  She ran out of the restaurant, waving over her shoulder at her new...friend.</p><p>“Good luck!”  Hashirama smiled as she ran out the front doors of the cafe.</p><p>The waitress came back to the table walking slowly, her eyes on the door Sakura had just ran out of shaking her head back and forth smiling.  “That girl, she works so hard, always on the run.  It was good to see her enjoy her lunch for a change.  I’ve never seen her smile so much before.”</p><p>Hashirama looked at the waitress.  “You know her?”</p><p>“Sure I do.  Sakura comes in here all the time.  Although…”  The waitress tapped her pencil on the edge of the table while she thought.  “I haven’t seen her in here for a few, I heard something happened with her and that no good boyfriend of hers.”</p><p>The waitress eyed him speculatively.</p><p>Hashirama cleared his throat.  “Ex-boyfriend.”</p><p>“Ah.”  The waitress looked down at the bills Sakura had thrown onto the table, then back up at Hashirama whose face had turned red.</p><p>“I told her I would pay.”  He fidgeted in his seat under the waitress’s judgemental eye.  “Here.”</p><p>Hashirama handed her his credit card.  “Pay for this meal with that and send her dinner as well.  You keep this, as a tip...and as incentive not to tell her it was me.”</p><p>The waitress looked at him with shrewd eyes.  “What makes you think I know where she works?”</p><p>“I don’t want to know, I’m not asking.  I’m not a stalker.”  He held both of his hands up in front of him and smiled.  “You said she was a regular and by the way she ran out of here I’m guessing she usually doesn’t have time to walk through the park for lunch, that this is something new in her routine.  She probably gets delivery most of the time right?”</p><p>“Hum...you’re a smart one aren’t you.  Sure thing money bags.”  The waitress flipped her long blonde hair back from her face and winked at him.  “My name’s Ino by the way.”</p><p>“Ino, thank you for your assistance.”  Hashirama bowed to the woman from his seat making her raise her eyebrow at him.</p><p>“So dinner is on you, whatever she wants right?”  Ino asked.</p><p>“Whatever she wants, or whatever you think she will like.”  Hashirama nodded.</p><p>“Lobster stuffed oysters it is then!”  Ino smiled and walked away before he could protest.</p><p>Hashirama smiled.  “Whatever she wants.”</p><p>Sakura looked up from her never ending mound of paperwork spilling halfway off of her desk as her office door opened and Ino stepped inside.</p><p>“What’s this?”  Sakura nodded to the two huge bags, of what smelled like heaven, that Ino was carrying.</p><p>“Dinner for two, and you’re my hot date baby.”  Ino smirked as she set the bags down on Sakura's sitting table, flopping down on the couch in her best friend’s office.</p><p>“Is that wine?”  Sakura watched Ino pull two bottles from one of the paper bags and blinked in disbelief.</p><p>“Yes it is my dear, and it is quitting time.  Put that pencil down Doctor and come eat and drink with me stat!”  Ino popped the top off the first bottle, pulled two glasses from her huge purse and poured their wine.</p><p>“Now then.”  Ino handed Sakura a glass of wine once she had sat down beside her on the couch.  “Tell me about that yummy yummy man you had lunch with today!”</p><p>Sakura blushed.  “There’s nothing to tell Ino, we just had lunch.  It was nothing really, just something new, you know?”</p><p>“Speaking of new, why didn’t you tell me that asshole dumped you?  I had to find out from your new hot bod after you left.”  Ino pushed the box of lobster and scallops toward her friend.  “This is on him by the way.”</p><p>Sakura hit herself in the face with her chopsticks.  “What?”</p><p>She knew Ino’s favorite restaurant.  She knew exactly how much a meal like the one they were having cost.</p><p>“He told me dinner for you was on him because you paid for lunch, by the way he paid for lunch after you left and gave me the cash you left as a tip.”  Ino smirked.</p><p>“Which is why, I bought the wine.”  Ino raised her glass and grinned at her friend.</p><p>“Hashirama...paid for this?”  Sakura looked at the two take out boxes from one of the most expensive restaurants in Konoha, Ino’s favorite place to eat.</p><p>“...but.”  Sakura stuttered.  “This is a three hundred dollar meal!”</p><p>Ino nodded.  “Trust me, he can afford it.  I googled him after he left.  He’s…”</p><p>“I don’t want to hear it!”  Sakura clapped her hand over her ears and started singing.</p><p>Ino frowned.  “Why the hell not, he’s…”</p><p>“Lalalalalalalaala.”  Sakura covered her ears again.</p><p>“Fine!  Weirdo.”  Ino rolled her eyes at her friend.  “Tell me why you don’t want to know anything about him though?”</p><p>“We made a deal in the park, where we met.  No last names, no personal information, just light carefree talk and that’s it.  We’re using each other as a distraction, you know for me to get over Sasuke and him to...get over whatever is making him look like he wants to die when he sits in the park and feeds the birds.”  Sakura smiled at Ino’s expression.</p><p>“Sits in the park and feeds the birds?” Ino gawked at her.</p><p>“Yeah.”  Sakura smiled.</p><p>Ino watched her friend take a bit of the oysters and scallops...she looked really happy.  Ino couldn’t believe it.  Sakura had always been a little...odd but this took the cake.  Only Sakura would meet a millionaire in the park while he was feeding the birds and drag him to a crappy tempura place for lunch.</p><p>Only her best friend would have lunch with the best brain surgeon in the five great nations and not know it.</p><p>Ino sighed.  It was like a movie.  </p><p>Only Sakura would run out on a lunch with the most eligible bachelor in the known free world and insist upon paying for it as well.</p><p>“You’re an idiot, you know that forehead?”  Ino laughed, her arms wrapped around her middle.</p><p>“What’s that pig?”  Sakura looked at her friend, puzzled, and drank deeply from her wine glass.</p><p>“You’ll find out and I can’t wait to be there when you do.”  Ino clinked Sakura’s wine glass and laughed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Election Day to all you Americans!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Izuna jabbed the up button on the Konoha Hospital elevator and waited for the doors to open.  This had been one of the worst weeks of his life.</p><p>His brother Madara had...died.  Hashirama Senju, the best brain surgeon in Konoha...in the world hadn’t been able to save him and…he didn’t blame Hashirama but he couldn’t help but wonder if he had really done everything he could to save his brother.  He was being selfish he knew but...it was his brother.</p><p>Izuna swallowed hard and stepped into the elevator when the doors opened, running into a long haired blonde whom he vaguely recognized as one of Sakura’s friends.</p><p>“Oh!  Izuna San, sorry, um...here to see Sakura?”  Ino smiled a soft smile at the clearly still mourning man.  She had heard, like everyone in Konoha, what had happened.</p><p>“Yeah, is she still here?  I tried her apartment and her cell but there wasn’t any answer...and I asked Sasuke to call her but he told me he had broken up with her earlier today so I thought I would try her here at work.”  He slumped forward into the elevator, Ino followed, even though she had just gotten out.</p><p>“Yeah, she’s here.  We just had dinner together.”  Ino told him.  “...and wine.”</p><p>Izuna nodded.  He could smell the wine on Ino and wondered...how much the women had to drink and if maybe he should come back another time.  “I won’t be long.  I just wanted to...to...tell her that my brother’s funeral is tomorrow and...I know her and Sasuke aren’t together anymore but Madara would…”</p><p>“She’ll want to go.”  Ino laid a hand on Izuna’s arm.  “To pay her respects.  She liked Madara and I know Madara liked her.”</p><p>Izuna nodded again.  “Yeah, he did.”  He laughed.  “Madara always said Sakura was too good for Sasuke, said if he had been younger that he would have stolen her from him.”</p><p>“I don’t think age matters to Sakura.”  Ino said thoughtfully, missing the point.  “The individual does.”</p><p>“I suppose.”  Izuna watched the floors tick by.  “Did you, I mean...were you going to come in with me?  I don’t want to keep you if you were leaving.”</p><p>“I’ll say goodbye from here, she’s in her office, go right in.”  Ino smiled kindly as the elevator doors opened.  “Izuna?”</p><p>Izuna leaned against the elevator doors so that they wouldn’t close again.  “Yeah?”</p><p>“Take care of my girl okay?  She just got dumped and she might be a little drunk.  I know you’re hurting too, so maybe, you can comfort one another.”  Ino smiled again as the doors closed, watched Izuna walk down the hall, then laughed softly to herself as the elevator began its descent to the first floor again.</p><p>Izuna heard her before he saw her through her open office door and paused.  What the hell was she doing?  He peeked around the corner of the door and froze.</p><p>“Asshole Uchiha.  Think you’re so great, bunch of good looking, handsome assholes, own the world...so freaking smart...all the men in your family are so smug and full of themselves…”  She was muttering as she ripped what appeared to be pictures into little pieces.</p><p>Izuna pushed the door to her office open a little further and stepped inside, taking note of the now empty picture frames on the floor around her.  </p><p>“So you think we’re all good looking huh?”  He forgot about his own gloom as he looked at her, sitting sprawl legged on the floor demolishing pictures, he smirked as he tapped her on the head playfully.  “I knew you had a thing for Uchiha Sakura.”</p><p>“Izuna!”  Sakura spun around on her knee and pushed herself up onto her feet, then fell over to the side awkwardly.  “Ack!”</p><p>Izuna’s arms shot out to steady her.  “Sorry.  I met Ino in the elevator, she told me you two had drank a bit of wine and that you might be a little worse for wear.”  His hands dropped to her waist and settled on her hips.</p><p>“Ino.”  Sakura hissed with barely a slur to her words.  “I’m not drunk but uh, maybe a bit tipsy.”  She admitted.</p><p>“Is that what prompted the um...massacre?”  Izuna nodded to the floor where the remnants of Sasuke’s face and body were shredded to bits.</p><p>“Maybe.”  Sakura went to bend over and pick the pieces up but nearly fell again.</p><p>“Easy.”  Izuna drew her back up and closer to his body, steadying her once more.  “Careful Dr. Haruno, I know we’re already in a hospital but you don’t want to…”</p><p>Sakura looked up at Izuna.  Stupid Uchiha, always so damn handsome and Izuna was no exception.  “What is it Izuna?”</p><p>He had stopped talking and was just staring at her.  Sakura licked her lips and waited...was he…</p><p>“Sorry.”  Izuna let go of Sakura quickly and stepped back from her.  He hadn’t come here for that…</p><p>“I came because I tried to get a hold of you earlier and couldn’t.  I stopped by your apartment but you weren’t home of course.”  He waved his hand to the take out boxes still on her table and the two opened bottles of wine.  He smiled.  “Celebrating your new freedom?”</p><p>“Not exactly.”  Sakura blushed.  “Well, maybe a little.  Sorry about the mess.  I was just...venting.”</p><p>“It’s okay.  Sasuke can be a little...well, you know.”  Izuna started helping her clear up the small table.  “This bottle is still half full.”</p><p>He looked at the label.  “This is pretty good stuff, you have good taste, Sakura.”  It was also twice as strong as regular wine...which explained how she was so tipsy.</p><p>“Ino’s favorite.  I’m not that picky.”  Sakura poured herself another glass and drained it.</p><p>Izuna blinked as she refilled the glass, emptying the second bottle and handed him the stem.  “Would you like it?”</p><p>He hesitated.  He didn’t really want the wine but knew if he didn’t drink it, she would and she was already tipsy, another glass and she might end up just plain drunk.  He still needed her solvent, they had his brother’s funeral to discuss.  He took the wine from her and drained the glass.  “Thanks.”</p><p>Sakura smiled a faintly abstract smile.  “Noooo problem.”</p><p>Yeah, it was good he had drank it instead of her.</p><p>They spent the next few moments cleaning up, then settled down onto the couch together.</p><p>“So, what brings you to my office Izuna?  Need a check up?”  Sakura teased, giggling into her hand, her cheeks flushed.</p><p>“Yes.”  Izuna cleared his throat.  Then realizing what he had said he stuttered. “I me mean no.”</p><p>Sakura laughed.  </p><p>She had always had the most beautiful laugh, Izuna thought to himself.  It wasn’t too high pitched to be annoying, but not too deep to be overbearing.  It was light and feminine, perfect, like her.  He needed to focus.</p><p>“My brother’s funeral...it’s tomorrow.”  Izuna watched her straighten up in her seat and give him her full attention.  “Sasuke will be there of course but I wanted to invite you, personally.  You’re a close friend of the family and you knew Madara, liked him...he would want you to be there.  He liked you too, considered you family.”</p><p>“You don’t have to stay for the whole thing.  I know you never really liked coming to the family parties, not that this is a party but, I thought you might want to stay for the service and lay a rose on his...coffin.”  </p><p>Izuna laid his hands in his lap, his eyes cast to his fingers.  “Itachi will be there.  You won’t have to stand by Sasuke if that’s uncomfortable for you and I know you like Shisui and my sister Mikoto so…”</p><p>Sakura laid her hands over Izuna’s and ducked her head so she could see his eyes, so he could see her eyes.  “Of course I’ll be there Izuna.  I wouldn’t miss it.”</p><p>“Thank you.”  Izuna nodded his head once, swallowed and took a deep breath.  “Thank you Sakura.”</p><p>“Is that what you came here for?  To make sure I came to Madara’s funeral?”  She asked him gently.  She knew why he was there.  Izuna had always been the more sensitive one of the three main branch Uchihas.</p><p>“Yeah and...I just.”  Izuna cleared his throat.  Talking to Sakura wasn’t just speaking to anyone.  She knew the family, understood the pressures of being an Uchiha and...cared about him.  Understood him.</p><p>“Didn’t want to be alone?”  She pressed.</p><p>“Yeah.”  Izuna nodded.  “The house is so quiet now.  Not that Madara made a lot of noise but...I know that he isn’t there, in the library reading or down the hall in the kitchen drinking coffee and...I sound like a child.”  He rose to leave her...embarrassed of himself.  </p><p>This had been a mistake, he should have just left the note on her door like he had planned on doing but...when he had left her apartment he had found himself coming here to the hospital and before he knew it he was in the elevator and…</p><p>“Hey.”  Sakura moved her legs up onto the couch and pushed with her feet to slide across the couch to him, laid her head on his chest and hugged him.  “It’s okay.  I’m glad you’re here.”</p><p>Something inside of him melted, or broke or...exploded he wasn’t sure but he knew that her being there for him, her touching him like this and just...listening to him without judging him felt...</p><p>Izuna’s arms rose by themselves, up and around her shoulders.  His head dropped on it’s own into her hair, over her neck.  He closed his eyes and hugged her, drew her further up into his arms.  “Thank you Sakura.”</p><p>“I’m here.”  She whispered.  “You’re not alone okay.  You can stay with me tonight.”</p><p>He nodded into her hair.  He was a horribly weak person, doing this to her, taking advantage of her kindness, but if she had still been with his little cousin, if she had still been with Sasuke...he never would have…  “I’m sorry Sakura.”</p><p>“Nothing to be sorry for Izuna.  You’re hurting, it’s okay to rely on your friends like this, in times like this and we’re friends aren’t we?”  Sakura moved against his chest and looked up at him as he looked down at her.</p><p>“Yes.”  Izuna licked his bottom lip and bent down toward her mouth.  “We’re friends.”  He kissed her.</p><p>Sakura’s eyes sprung open.  She had never kissed anyone but Sasuke.  She froze, not knowing what to do…  </p><p>“Izuna.”  Her mouth moved against his, his name falling from the corners of her lips.</p><p>He held her tighter, drew her up onto his lap and kissed her deeper, parting her lips with his tongue as he explored her mouth.  He could feel her start to relax against him, could feel the tips of her fingers digging into his hair as she began to slowly kiss him back.  He felt terrible but he didn’t want to stop.  He was taking advantage of her, but he didn’t want to stop.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”  He finally pulled away from her.</p><p>“Maybe.”  She nodded in agreement.  “...but I don’t want to stop.”</p><p>Izuna picked her up and laid her back down on her couch on her back and pressed his mouth to hers.  “I don’t either.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Short, but I am sure you can see why once you read it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was raining, but instead of being dreary and dreadful it was...fitting.  Madara had always liked the rain.  He had always told her when her and Sasuke...and Naruto were little that it made the world seem less surreal.</p><p>Of course when she had been ten she hadn’t really understood what that meant.  Only when she had gotten older, when she had read more and experienced life more did she understand and tell him...that she agreed with him.</p><p>It had been their graduating year of highschool and she had been invited to the Uchiha manor for Sasuke’s graduation party.</p><p>It had rained.  It had stormed.</p><p>Everyone had screamed and yelled and ran into the house, except her, Izuna and Madara who had sat outside in the pouring rain...watching the storm roll over them...together.</p><p>‘I know now what you meant, all those years ago Madara Sama’, she had told him after the rain had stopped.  ‘When it rains, you know that life isn’t only happiness.  When it rains, it is like the world is truly crying, that it can feel’.</p><p>Sakura remembered.  Madara had turned to her with his deep, dark obsidian eyes and smiled.  ‘Like the world is crying, yes, young Sakura.  Even the world needs to cry sometimes’.</p><p>She had never realized before how...lonely he had looked and wondered...why.</p><p>A hand reached out for hers under the cover of her coat.  </p><p>Izuna stood beside her on her left and Itachi on her right.  She wondered, did Izuna remember, was he thinking of that day, that day they had sat in the rain storm together, her, Madara and him...feeling the tears of the world falling over their faces.</p><p>Sakura reached out with her other hand, to Itachi.  He took her hand in his and squeezed it, like Izuna had.  Together they stood in silence, as the rest of the family stood behind them, with them and beside them.</p><p>“It’s time.”  Mikoto spoke from Izuna’s other side.  “Izuna.”</p><p>“Right.”  Izuna let go of Sakura’s hand and shook the rain from his hair, his long thin ponytail hung limply down his back, the shorter front bangs heavy with rain over his eyes and chin.</p><p>Sakura raised her bowed head, brushing the hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear, beyond the protection of her rain hood and watched as Izuna took his place at the rain soaked podium.  </p><p>The rain had lightened a bit, as though it had anticipated his need to speak, his desire to...find closure in his words, in his family.</p><p>“Madara was my brother.”  Izuna began.  “It seems like such a simple common title for such a great man, a legend in his own time of industry, enterprise and...humanity.”</p><p>Izuna paused and cleared his throat.  He would do his brother honor by speaking clearly, strongly and...not choking and falling to pieces before the entire family.  He was the Uchiha Clan head now.  His shoes had never seemed larger than they did at that moment.</p><p>“Many of you here today didn’t know the same Madara I knew.  Instead of scaring the piss out of you in a board meeting, he used to scare the piss out of me in the middle of the night when him and his best friend would dress up as ghosts, sneak into my room and scream at the top of their lungs waking me from a sound sleep.”  Izuna chuckled.</p><p>“No, most of you didn’t see him like I saw him.”  He looked down into the faces that watched him, each wearing a different expression.  Some of amusement at his story, some of disgust and shock.  He laughed.  “Madara was many different things to many different people but to me, he was and will always be...Madara Uchiha, my older brother.”</p><p>His eyes dropped to the still folded paper in his hands.  The speech Itachi had painstakingly written out for him three days before and tore it to shreds.  His eyes went to Sakura in the front row, then to the far left where Hashirama Senju stood with his brother Tobirama Senju.</p><p>He lifted the shredded paper into the air and threw it up as high as he could, the wind catching the small white paper pieces and blowing them about.  Mikoto tsked, but Sakura laughed, which made Izuna smile.</p><p>Little wet white pieces of paper stuck to Izuna’s coat, the dirt and the podium, but he didn’t care.  He looked out at the faces of his family.  “Madara is gone but we remain.  Let us not forget, we are all here because of him and the men like him, that came before him...and honor him.”  </p><p>Izuna bowed his head and the Uchiha bowed their heads with him.  Sakura bowed her head with them and didn’t see the odd look that Tobirama Senju had cast her before bowing his own head beside his brother.</p><p>Sakura hadn’t noticed Hashirama, as short as she was, surrounded by taller Uchiha, and Hashirama hadn’t seen Sakura, standing on the end, her hair tucked up into her hooded raincoat.</p><p>Izuna led the family in the Clan prayer then stepped down from the podium, stepping back into his place beside Sakura, who had remained beside Itachi.  He took her hand in his again and waited.  Mikoto had a few words to speak and then...they would go back to the Uchiha manor.</p><p>...but all he wanted to do was hide.  All he wanted to do was be alone.  He wasn’t ready to fill Madara’s shoes.  He hadn’t been ready for his brother to...die.</p><p>He looked to his left.  Sakura’s head was still bowed, her face and hair covered by her hood.  The rain was coming down harder now.  Soon.  He turned to his right and looked over the heads of the Uchiha beside him.  He looked past Shisui and Sasuke to Madara’s best friend and...deliverer...Hashirama Senju.</p><p>The two men locked eyes for a moment.  Izuna hesitated but...Madara wouldn’t want him to blame Hashirama for his death...so he inclined his head to the man.  Reluctantly.</p><p>Hashirama inclined his head to Izuna, then their eye contact broke.  Mikoto had stopped speaking.  It was time to leave.</p><p>Izuna watched as his sister picked up a rose from the usher and laid it on Madara’s coffin.  Mikoto hadn’t cried once since their brother had died, he wondered...would she now, now that he was gone and buried, now that he had returned to the earth, to dust…</p><p>Izuna picked up two roses, one for him and one for Sakura.  </p><p>There were gasps behind him but he didn’t care.  Let them think what they would.  He...needed her to do this with him or...he might not be able to do it...to say goodbye.</p><p>Together they walked up to the coffin.  He laid his rose next to Mikoto’s and then Sakura laid hers beside his.  With a gentle hand to her back he led her away to the left, away from the coffin, away from the other Uchiha, to the limo, holding the door open for her.</p><p>Sakura paused for only a moment before ducking her head and climbing inside.  Izuna sat down beside her and laid his head in her lap.</p><p>“My brother is gone.”  He told her.</p><p>“I know.”  Sakura pet his hair back from his eyes.</p><p>“I’m alone now.”  He looked up into her eyes.</p><p>“I’m here.”  She twined her fingers with his.</p><p>“Thank kami for that.”  He closed his eyes as the limo began to move.  “Thank you Sakura.”</p><p>“What are friends for?”  Sakura bit her lip.  </p><p>Friends didn’t lay roses on the former Clan head’s coffin with the new Clan head by their side.<br/>
Friends didn’t leave funerals with the new Clan heads hand to their backs and didn’t get into their limos and hold their heads in their laps while they grieved.</p><p>“Izuna...I...”  She began.</p><p>“Please, just for today, please.”  His eyes were still shut, but his fingers tightened around hers.  “I need you to be more than a friend, just for today.  Please.”</p><p>“Okay.”  She bowed her head and kissed his temples.  “Just for today.  Izuna…”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hashirama stood just inside the foyer of the Uchiha manor, a manor he had been to many, many times over the years to visit his friend, Madara Uchiha.  He had never felt more uncomfortable in the manor however, than he did at that moment.</p><p>Uchiha young and old filed past him as they made their leisurely way further into Izuna and Madara’s home, now just Izuna’s.  Hashirama had been looking for the man since his arrival, to shake his hand and to give him his condolences…again, but he hadn’t seen him enter the home yet and wondered where he was.</p><p>Like everyone who had attended the funeral, he had seen the short woman beside Izuna, had seen Izuna pull her with him to the usher and hand her the flower…like everyone else present, he had been…surprised.  He hadn’t known Izuna had been dating anyone much less someone so…important to him.  He had heard the gasps, and knew, he wasn’t the only one who had been surprised.</p><p>He wondered who the woman was.  Clearly she was known to the Uchiha, she was at the funeral…standing in between Itachi and Izuna.  She had been invited, personally, but he hadn’t been able to see her face hidden as it was by her raincoat hood.  Perhaps he would be able to meet her when she and Izuna made an appearance at the wake.</p><p>“Why are we even here brother, it’s clear we’re not wanted.”  Tobirama, his younger brother, asked him quietly.</p><p>“We aren’t here for them, we are here for Madara.”  Hashirama said and not for the first time that day.  He knew that his presence wasn’t unwelcome but he also knew it wasn’t exactly…welcome.  Madara had died on his table…</p><p>“Senju Sama.”  Itachi bowed politely to the two Senju brothers.  “Thank you for coming.  Would you care to come in for a drink and perhaps lunch?”</p><p>Hashirama broke out into a wide smile, grateful for Itachi’s kindness and acceptance.  “Yes!  Please.”</p><p>“Thank you.”  Tobirama acknowledged Itachi’s efforts stiffly.  He felt even more uncomfortable being there than his brother.  He had never had the best relationship with any of the Uchiha aside from Kagami Uchiha, who had passed away last year in a car accident.  He didn’t want to be there, but he had to be there…for his brother.</p><p>Hashirama and Tobirama followed Itachi deeper into the manor to the kitchen where trays and trays of food had already been set up, drinks lining the side counter and bottles of imported wines and liquors lined the board.</p><p>“Please, help yourselves to anything you like.”  Itachi paused, looking over their shoulders to the doorway where Mikoto had just entered the kitchen.  “My Uncle would have wanted his friends treated with respect.  If you’ll excuse me.”  Itachi inclined his head again to the Senju brothers, then left them to speak to his mother.</p><p>“Where are Sakura and Izuna?”  Hashirama heard Itachi ask his mother.</p><p>‘Sakura?’  Hashirama thought to himself, the woman he had met in the park?  Impossible.  The woman who had stood beside Izuna at the funeral had been about Sakura’s size but…no, it couldn’t be.  Madara would have told him if such a beautiful woman had been so close to his family, if Izuna had been dating someone like her, honestly…Madara would have pursued the woman himself…Sakura was beautiful and intelligent, fun and…</p><p>“I don’t know.  I called his phone and hers, neither one of them are answering.  Itachi, did you know they were dating?  Didn’t Sasuke just break up with her yesterday?”  Hashirama heard Mikoto ask her eldest son.  Choking slightly on the tumbler of whiskey he had just poured himself he avoided his brother’s curious eye.</p><p>Impossible.</p><p>Imposible…</p><p>It couldn’t be…</p><p>It had to be.</p><p>“I know what you are inferring mother and please don’t.  Sakura would not cheat on Sasuke, that’s Sasuke’s tendency, not hers, she is very loyal.  Sakura and Izuna are not dating…and if they are…”  Itachi thought about the situation for a moment.  “…if they are, it must have happened within the last sixteen hours.”</p><p>“I’m not saying it would be a bad thing for Izuna and Sakura to date, only…such a public display and right after Sasuke and her broke up…I mean, they dated for two years and then…the next day she steps up to the coffin with Izuna, like she is his wife and…”  Mikoto broke their conversation off as Sasuke came into the kitchen.</p><p>“Where’s Izuna and Sakura, do you know?  I haven’t seen them and I have a thing to say to both of them.”  Sasuke’s voice was flat and…angry.</p><p>“Not now little brother, wait until after the wake to say what you feel you must.  No good can come of whatever it is you have to say and remember…Izuna is the Clan Head now, you must give him your respect.”  Itachi warned his younger brother.</p><p>“Don’t jump to conclusions Sasuke.  This was hard on all of us.  Madara was such a consuming part of all of our lives…Izuna probably turned to her for comfort, as a friend.”  Mikoto warned her youngest son against the very same thing she had just done.</p><p>Hashirama didn’t hear the younger Uchiha’s protest.  As a group, they left the kitchen, to take their conversation elsewhere.</p><p>Tobirama rolled his eyes.  It would be just like Izuna to cling to some woman that had just been cast aside to comfort himself over his brother’s death.  He was weak and always had been.  He couldn’t believe he was the new Uchiha Clan Head.  “No good will come of this Hashirama.  Izuna is already showing his true nature by inviting some tramp to his brother’s funeral.”</p><p>Hashirama’s fist clenched his glass and it cracked.  “She isn’t a tramp Tobirama.”</p><p>Tobirama’s eyes widened.  “You know her?”</p><p>“I…no, we met in the park and…if it is even the same woman.  It might not be but…it doesn’t matter.  We should leave.  We’ve paid our respects, had a drink for Madara’s sake.  Come.”  Hashirama set his now cracked glass down on the kitchen counter and led the way out the kitchen, through the side hall that he knew well, and out the front door into their waiting car.</p><p>Tobirama watched his brother out of the corner of his eye.  He wasn’t telling him everything he knew but…what was there to tell.  Hashirama had met a woman in the park and it was clear to Tobirama that she had made quite an impression on his brother.  Weather or not it was the same woman that had accompanied Izuna to his brother’s coffin at the funeral…remained to be seen.</p><p>“Hashirama, this woman you met in the park.  What do you know about her?  It would be unwise to jump to conclusions, perhaps it is not the same woman at all.”  He tried to agree with his brother, in his own words, to…concede.</p><p>“Nothing really.  We have an agreement of sorts not to tell one another anything personal.  No career information, no connections or where we live, what college we went to, nothing that normal new acquaintances would speak of to get to know one another.”  Hashirama laughed thinking of their lunch together.  “I know she likes tempura and that she works nearly all the time, had been dumped in the park and has the most beautiful pink hair and green eyes I’ve ever seen.”</p><p>Tobirama shifted in his seat.  They hadn’t been able to see the woman with Izuna at the funeral well.  It had been raining and her hood had been up.  “The younger Uchiha just broke up with his girlfriend yesterday.”</p><p>Hashirama nodded.  “It could be the same woman.”</p><p>Tobirama continued to watch his brother.  “If it is?”</p><p>“We don’t even know one another Tobi.  We’re just friends, not even really.”  Hashirama rubbed the back of his head nervously, he knew where his brother was going with his line of thought.</p><p>“Do you want to be more than friends?”  Tobirama crossed his arms over his chest.  By Itachi and Mikoto’s own words, if Izuna and this woman were dating, it was a very recent development.  In Tobirama’s opinion, if he wanted the woman, now was the time to act, before her and Izuna got too close.</p><p>“Well, I don’t know.  I like her a lot and she makes me smile.”  Hashirama paused.  “She helped me forget momentarily, the guilt and…I suppose maybe…”</p><p>“You need to find out Hashirama.  You need to decide how you feel and then make your move.  Clearly she is already connected to the Uchiha in some way.  You have no foothold with this woman.”  Tobirama, who had never dated in his life advised his older brother.</p><p>“Maybe.”  Hashirama nodded to himself.  Maybe she would be at the park tomorrow.  Tomorrow was Saturday…there was also a good possibility she wouldn’t be there at all.  “Okay, yes, you’re right.  I’ll try to speak to her again and maybe…break our agreement and ask her, or…no…I’ll ask her out, on a date.”</p><p>Hashirama nodded to himself.  Yes, if she was dating Izuna, surely she would say no to him, no to a date with another man.  What had Itachi said…Sakura wasn’t like that, she was loyal.  If she was the same Sakura and if she was dating Izuna, she would say no to his date.</p><p>“What if it isn’t the same woman though?”  Tobirama punched a hole in his plan…like usual.</p><p>“I still get a date.”  Hashirama tried to smile.</p><p>“If she says yes.”  Tobirama raised a brow at his overconfident brother.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura turned her key in her lock and pushed open the door to her apartment.  </p><p>“I’ll make us some tea shall I?”  She smiled shyly at Izuna.  </p><p>He had never been to her apartment before and she wondered how he knew where she lived.  He had told her he had dropped by her apartment the other night looking for her but she hadn’t thought to ask him then, who had told him her address.</p><p>“Thank you Sakura.”  Izuna took his coat off and hung it on the coat stand by her front door.</p><p>“Go ahead and sit down Izuna, I still have a few boxes in the living room that I need to unpack but make yourself comfortable.  I’ll have the tea ready in just a moment.”  She patted his arm and pushed him gently toward her living room.</p><p>Izuna nodded and walked down the hall.  His head turning left and right, taking in her small apartment.  It was conservative and simply decorated, functional yet classy.   It reminded him of her, he smiled to himself, it was exactly like he would have expected it to be. </p><p>Sakura filled her kettle and set it to boil on her stove, took down her loose tea and their tea bags making one for each of them, then reached up into her side board for two mugs.  He had asked her to be more than a friend for him, just for today but...what did that mean to him and what would it mean for her.</p><p>She and Sasuke had just broken up and part of her felt...like she was cheating on him when Izuna kissed her, part of her felt...like it was wrong to let him touch her.  She had hugged him as a friend but the kiss they had shared in her office had been anything but...friendly.  If she was honest with herself, she liked it, it was hot and sultry.  She wanted to do it again,  but was it the right thing to do, was it what  he wanted, needed right now or did he just need the comfort of a friend and maybe a little more like he said?</p><p>She could feel her face grow hot.  </p><p>Izuna was a very attractive man but he was also almost ten years older than her, a little more actually, twelve years older than she was.  Age had never mattered to her but she wondered if it...mattered to him.  Was that why he said just for today?  He didn’t want anything more than a few kisses and someone to embrace that he could trust?  Clearly he was more experienced than she was, maybe he really just needed someone to hold, someone to kiss to remind him that he wasn't alone. </p><p>She could give him that.  That’s what she wanted too, needed from him and thought...it was okay.  It was okay as long as they both knew what they were doing, as long as they communicated and...she didn’t want to hurt him but she also didn’t want to get hurt again.</p><p>She and Sasuke had dated for two years and...she really wasn’t ready for another relationship yet and if she and Izuna dated, it wouldn’t be a fling...it would be very serious.  The Uchiha Clan head...didn’t date, he married.</p><p>“Oh.”  She understood now.  </p><p>That’s why Madara had always looked so lonely.  He had never dated.  She realized growing up, that she had never seen him with a woman, never seen him go out on a date.  Even at functions he was alone, surrounded by the masses, adored and looked up to you ...but very much standing by himself, very much alone.</p><p>Is that what Izuna had to look forward to, a life of solitude.  Sakura bit her bottom lip as she poured the hot water into their cups and added the tea bags.  He might be 10 years older than her but he was still fairly young.  It seems so unfair.</p><p>With a mug in each hand she walked into her living room and sat down next to Izuna on her couch. </p><p>“Are you sure it's okay for you to be here right now, shouldn't you be at the Uchiha Manor, you know, attending to the guests at the wake?”  She asked him as she sipped her tea and looked at him over the rim of her cup.</p><p>“ Mikoto's there, I'd only get in the way.   Besides I don't want to be around anyone else but you right now, I don't think I could handle the small talk, the sympathetic looks or the elders judgemental stares.” He shrugged.  </p><p>“Itachi and Shisui are there. My sister has enough help if she needs it.   They don't need me, not yet, I'll stay here for a little while longer if it's alright with you and put in an appearance later this evening.  I know it's cowardly of me, I know I'm weak but I just can't face my clan right now,   I can't be my brother.   I haven't the faintest idea what I'm doing, I don't even know where to begin.”  He set his teacup on the table and put his head in his hands.</p><p>“It's okay Izuna.   You can only be you right?   So it's okay, don't worry.   You can't be more than who you already are and no one expects you to be your brother because you're not,  you’re Izuna.”   Sakura smiled at him, her eyes crinkling into little green half-moons of shiny sympathy and comfort.</p><p>“ It sounds so much easier when you say it like that,  the role that I have to fill,  the role that's mine now that my brother is gone, a role I've never wanted, was never born into.   Maybe I should just hand the family over to Itachi. He's much better suited than me.”  He sighed.   </p><p>Madara and he had discussed it several times before Madara had passed away.  If Izuna didn't want the clan head title, Itachi was the next best choice,  but could he really do that,  pass the title of Clan head over to someone else?  What if they were even worse than him, what if Madara was wrong,  what if he was wrong... there were too many what ifs.</p><p>“ I don't want to talk about that right now.”   He reached over and pulled her to his chest, waiting for her to set her Cup on the table next to his. He pulled her up into his lap and kissed her gently on the corner of her mouth. “  There'll be time to talk about this later.”</p><p>He pushed the hair back from her face and smiled.  “ Just lay with me for now,  if you don't mind.   Just lay with me, let me listen to the beating of your heart,  I just want to hear you breathe and know that you're alive and here with me,  just for a few hours and then I promise I'll be responsible.   I promise I'll go back to the Uchiha Manor and take my place as Clan head and do everything that I'm supposed to do,  that's expected of me.   Just a few hours Sakura, and then I'll never ask you for this again.”</p><p>Sakura nodded and laid her head on his chest,  let him run his fingers through her hair and Whisper all of his doubts, self-loathing and fears  into her ear,  as she lay on top of him...her heart beating with his,  breathing in and out.</p><p>Slowly, she could feel his body relax.  Slowly his breathing steadied out and his pulse calmed.</p><p>“Izuna.”  Sakura murmured against his shoulder, her head turned inward toward his neck.</p><p>“Yeah?”  He opened his eyes and looked down at her.</p><p>She tilted her head back to see him better.  “Everyone is weak, sometimes.  Only people who are destined to be truly strong...admit it though.”</p><p>She held his eyes for a few more heartbeats, then leaned back into him, her face against the soft skin of his neck and throat.</p><p>Izuna wrapped his arms around her, closed his eyes and smiled into her hair.  “Then maybe I’ll be weak sometimes.”  He told her quietly as her clock ticked mutely in the corner of the room.  “Only with you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Little bit of a longer chapter this time.</p><p>Tags have been updated.</p><p>Rating has changed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura shut her front door behind Izuna, her bottom lip caught between her front teeth as she replayed their morning in her head.</p><p>She was conflicted.  She wasn’t sure how she felt about what had happened.  They hadn’t…but they hadn’t not…he had been so gentle and so…adoring that it almost broke her heart.  The way he had…touched her only confirmed to her just how emotionally distraught he was.  His voice was...the way he had whispered in her ear.  She closed her eyes and sighed.</p><p>Sakura leaned her back against her front door and rested her head against wood.  Was her comfort helping him or was it going to hurt him more in the long run.  She still wasn’t sure what she wanted from…this, whatever this was, much less how to determine what he wanted from her.</p><p>Companionship, friendship and…comfort, clearly, but where was the line, where did they need to draw that invisible line between them before comfort became a crutch, or a scandal.  She wasn’t ready for marriage.  If she was, she would have married Sasuke when he had asked her but instead...she had told him she wanted to wait and he had...broken up with her. Out of spite, but she was free now.</p><p>He had asked her to marry him a month ago.  Shehad told him she wanted to wait and since then...things had gotten distant between them until he had asked her to move out of their apartment.  It had hurt her, that he would be so dramatic, that he was being so childish at the time but now...she was glad.  She hadn’t wanted their relationship to end, but now she couldn’t imagine going back to him.</p><p>Sakura knew Sasuke.  She knew what he was doing but it was backfiring on him terribly.  She shook her head.  He hadn’t counted on anyone else liking her, being interested in her but him.  She smiled to herself...but there were other men interested in her, at least, she thought there were.</p><p>Hashirama and maybe...Izuna.</p><p>Still, she and Sasuke had been really good friends for a very long time and had officially dated for two years but it had seemed so much longer than that.  Whenever she needed a date for an event, he was there, whenever their friends paired off, he was with her and before she knew it, they had started dating...she wasn’t exactly sure when it had happened but...he had been there and now...he wasn’t.</p><p>She felt guilty and she didn’t like it.  Izuna wasn’t some nameless person she had met at a bar, not that she would do something like that, but Izuna was…too close to home.  Too close to Sasuke.  Her thoughts wandered to Hashirama.</p><p>That was what she needed.  No strings, no obligation, just fun and freedom. Someone to hang out with maybe, talk about nothing weighty, nothing serious and maybe just...have fun, friends or...whatever.  If they never spoke again, if they only had lunch one more time and never saw one another again, it was okay, it was enough…a distraction, like they had said.  They had laid down rules, parameters…communicated and they both knew it was nothing more than…yes, a distraction.</p><p> Hashirama was a good distraction.</p><p>Izuna was so much more than just a distraction.  He was Sasuke’s cousin, his new clan head and one of the wealthiest men in the world.  He was also one of the few people in her life that she trusted completely.  What if they dated and then...broke up like...Sasuke and her...she didn’t think she would be able to take it.  Izuna, Ino and Naruto were her pillars of safety in her life.  Itachi Shisui and Tsunade a close second.</p><p>Maybe she was being too paranoid, maybe just having been let go from a two year relationship with one of her other closest friends, that she had known all of her life was clouding her judgement, making her worry too much.</p><p>He had told her, for today he wanted to be more than friends, just today.  </p><p>What about yesterday though.  She continued to wither her bottom lip as she walked into her kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee.  He had also kissed her yesterday, had...touched her intimately.</p><p>They had spent the morning in her apartment, moving from the couch to her bed.</p><p>She could still feel the warmth of his lips on her skin as she sipped her coffee.  She could almost feel his hands as he unclasped her bra and slid it down her arms...his dark eyes watching the satin fall to the floor, raking back up her body...his hands pulling her to him by the waist as he squeezed her hips, bent his head and rubbed his nose along the curve of her breast.</p><p>He was definitely much more experienced than her in that area and she wondered, how many women he had been with.</p><p>No, she shook her head.  It didn’t matter, they were not in a relationship, they were not dating or…anything else.  He had said just for today, so that was it, just for today…</p><p>Sakura looked over her shoulder, into her bedroom at her rumpled bed...it had felt so good, he had felt so good, naked against her skin, his mouth against her mouth, his fingers pressing into her heat and curling upward making her arch her back as he took her nipple between his lips and…</p><p>”Damn it.”  She sighed and thumped her head onto her table top.</p><p>“Damn it.”  She groaned.  </p><p>She hadn’t known how sexy long hair on a man could be until Izuna.  She shivered at the recollection of the silky strands sliding across her chest, down the side of her body as he dipped his head between her legs and slid his tongue into…</p><p>”Stop.”  She ran her fingers through her hair.  “Sasuke had never been that good.”  She muttered.</p><p>She needed to get out of her apartment.  She needed to think of something else.  </p><p>The dojo.  </p><p>She had told Naruto she would be there that weekend.  It was Friday but she had taken the day off of work for the wake, Tsunade had covered her two surgeries and…she would go to the dojo, blow off some steam.  She doubted anyone but Naruto and Kakashi would be there at this time of the day, but that was good enough for her.  They were always good for a hard spar.</p><p>That’s what she needed, some mindless bashing, physical pain to get her muscles warmed, to burn off this extra…adrenaline Izuna had roused in her.  A spar…good old physical contact, of a violent nature always helped her to relax, to clear her mind.<br/>
Sakura swung her gym bag over her shoulder and stepped out of her apartment.  She could already feel her muscles tightening in anticipation of the first kick, his fingers twitched and curled into half fists as she thought about her first grab, throw and punch.  She hoped it would be Kakashi, he never coddled her, never went easy on her and right now, she needed a hard fight, a rough spar.  She had a lot of energy to release, thanks to Izuna.</p><p>Her feet bounced as she walked down the short path to the dojo, it had been awhile since she had been able to go, between her falling out with Sasuke and starting her new job at Konoha Hospital, she hardly had any time for anything other than work and...arguing.  </p><p>Kakashi and Naruto had opened the dojo together over six years ago, about the time she had entered med school.  The small MA studio had grown considerably since then.  She was rather proud of them, her best friend and her old sensei.  They had done well for themselves in such a short time.</p><p>All three of them had started taking lessons when they were ten, her, Sasuke and Naruto.  Obito, who was one of Kakashi’s best friends, had recommended the man to teach Sasuke and since Kakashi had served in the Land of Fire’s special forces with Itachi, Madara had allowed it.  He wasn’t part of the family, but he wasn’t a complete stranger.</p><p>That’s how the Uchiha worked.  Once you were in with them, you were in.  Maybe not family, but under their watch, on their contact list…under their protection by close association whether you wanted it or not.  Sakura had noticed there were different levels of being ‘In’, with the Uchiha.  Kakashi was one level, Naruto was another but she seemed to fall under her own class of ‘Uchiha’, and she wasn’t quite sure what that was.</p><p>She and Naruto were invited to certain events and family gatherings that Kakashi wasn’t for instance, and she, was invited to things that Naruto wasn’t but Naruto wasn’t invited to anything that she couldn’t go to...and somethings, when she had been dating Sasuke, she had to go to.  Now, she wasn’t quite sure where she stood with the rest of the family, or Izuna...</p><p>Most outsiders, didn’t want the obligation that came with being close to such a traditional family, didn’t like it...which is why most of the clan married within the clan who understood the pressures of being an Uchiha.  There were actually very few outsiders among the clan, so close to them, like herself.  Naruto was one and Kakashi the other.  Madara had a close childhood friend but his friend’s brother...wasn’t welcome like Madara’s friend was.  </p><p>The Uchiha were very selective.</p><p>Growing up with Sasuke and Naruto it had never seemed odd to her, she was used to it she supposed, liked it and sometimes counted on it.</p><p>During her first year of college she had gotten a flat tire driving home from her last class.  It had been late in the evening and she had forgotten to charge her cell phone before she had left that morning and it was dead.  So she had locked the doors to her car and had started walking.</p><p>Twenty minutes later, Madara pulled up alongside of her, rolled his window down and asked her what had happened, why she was walking.  After she explained the situation to him he had dropped her off at the Uchiha manor to eat dinner with Sasuke, Itachi, Naruto and Mikoto.  While he and Fugaku went back out to get her car for her.</p><p>Two hours later, just when she had started to wonder what was taking so long to change one measly flat tire, they had returned with her car, four new tires, a new cell phone with a back up battery and a gun.</p><p>They sat her down on the couch and lectured her about how absurd it had been that she had felt the need to walk when there were plenty of Uchiha around to help her.  Madara told her that she had walked by two Uchiha businesses on the way home and had asked her why she hadn’t stopped inside to ask for help.</p><p>When she told him she didn’t want to bother anyone, he had cut her off, handed her the new phone and back up battery, told her to use it and not to argue.  Told her the tires were a gift and that she wasn’t going to pay him back for them.  When she had started to protest he asked if she cared about him, the family.</p><p>‘Of course I do Madara Sama but…’  She had said before he could cut her off again.</p><p>‘Then you will ease my worried mind by accepting these small gifts and allowing me to show you favor.  You are a member of the family Sakura, I think of you as one of my own.  I would not have you walking in the dark on the side of a busy street.  Do not insult me.”  He had nearly growled at her and she realized...she had insulted him, by not asking for his help.</p><p>The next day Obito had met her after class, took her to the local shooting range, and showed her how to care for, clean and fire her handgun.  A week later, she was certified and had her CCW from the Konoha Police Department, courtesy of Fugaku, The Chief of Police.</p><p>Sakura had learned two very important things about the Uchiha that day and something very important about Madara Uchiha.</p><p>He considered her family, and the Uchiha always looked out for their own...first.</p><p>Sakura wondered, as she pushed the door to the dojo open, did Izuna consider her one of their own, did Sasuke?</p><p>“Sakura Chan, I wasn’t expecting to see you today, at least...not this early.”  Kakashi Hatake was lounging back into one of the many plastic chairs that lined the matted floor on the opposite side of the room as though he had melted and been set there.</p><p>Kakashi, she realized, hadn’t been invited tot he funeral.  No matter how close or how long he and Obito had been friends...had never been considered part of the family by Madara or Izuna. ...maybe Izuna saw him as a threat, or maybe because he knew Kakashi was closer to Obito and Itachi.  </p><p>Izuna had mentioned handing leadership over to Itachi but knew...he was just nervous.  Madara had been an exceptional man, a strong leader, anyone would be nervous to take over the family from such a predecessor and perhaps be that much more cautious of those around them because of it.</p><p>Sakura shrugged in response to Kakashi’s fake surprise.  The day he wasn’t expecting her was the day she was more beautiful than Ino Pig. </p><p>“Right old man.  Well, I just felt like kicking ass, or...getting my ass kicked.  You up for a hard spar?”  She threw her gym bag down and cracked her knuckles out in front of her.</p><p>“With you Sakura Chan, always.  Go change.  I’ll meet you on the mat in five.”  Kakashi pulled himself up off the chairs with a practiced ease and sauntered off toward the dressing rooms to throw on his gi bottoms and grab a fresh tee shirt.</p><p>She was already on the mat stretching by the time he had changed and was walking out of the men’s room.  She was anxious, he could tell.  He, like everyone that knew her, had heard what had happened between her and Sasuke.  Naruto told him, when he told Rock Lee, Gai and all of the others that went to their gym...the whole class basically.</p><p>Naruto hadn’t been gossiping, he was really broken up about it.  He thought they would get married, he would be the best man, and they would have kids calling him Uncle Naruto before anyone could blink.</p><p>Kakashi however...knew better.  He had been telling Naruto, subtly, ever since Sasuke and Sakura had started dating not to expect it to last.  Naruto ignored him, told him he was crazy, that Sasuke and Sakura were meant for one another...the kid had never been more wrong.</p><p>Never being the kind to rub anything in anyone’s face, Kakashi had merely nodded when he had heard the news and wondered...if he should maybe call Sakura, to see how she was doing...but then Madara’s funeral had been scheduled for the next day and...he hadn’t been invited, neither had Naruto but…</p><p>...he had heard Sakura had been personally invited by Izuna Uchiha, the new clan head.</p><p>Sakura had always been liked more than him and Naruto.  He knew why, she was female, beautiful, intelligent and well...Sakura.  He couldn’t blame the Uchiha for unofficially adopting her after her parents had died in a plane crash in her senior year of high school.  Obito speculated that Madara had her in mind for himself, but Kakashi had never thought that.  Madara was too old for the girl, his brother Izuna however...was only twelve years older than her, nearly the same age as himself.</p><p>Kakashi watched Sakura bend over to touch her toes.  She really had grown into a beautiful woman.  A beautiful woman who had only ever dated one man...boy, Sasuke.</p><p>“I hear you and Izuna have gotten rather close Sakura.  That the two of you disappeared together after his brother’s funeral service.”  Kakashi asked her his questions without asking, allowing her to courtesy, not to tell him, if she didn’t want to.</p><p>“How do you know that?”  She straightened her back and gave her friend a narrowed eye.  The gossiping neddies were already hard at it.</p><p>“Naruto of course.”  Kakashi’s eyes crinkled into silver slits as he smiled at her.  “Sasuke called him looking for you, talked his ear off for an hour about how you and Izuna never made it back to the manor after the funeral.”</p><p>“We went back to my apartment and comforted one another through each of our different losses, nothing exciting.”  Sakura twisted around to stretch her bicep of the opposite arm...as well as to hide her blush.</p><p>Kakashi paused in his own stretching to look at his old student.  Her voice was...to up beat, too...deceptively cheery.  “You’re lying.”  He said flatly.</p><p>Sakura turned back around to face her friend and former sensei.  “Yeah but I don't want to talk about it right now.  I still don’t know how I feel about...how we are comforting one another.”</p><p>“How you are...comforting one another?  Do you mean that you and him…”  Kakashi stopped stretching, stopped pretending to ask without asking and flat out asked her.  “Did you sleep with Izuna Uchiha Sakura?”</p><p>“What?  No!  We just, had tea and hugged and kissed and uh, you know were there for one another.  We aren’t dating and it will probably never happen again, it was just, just for today, you know?”  She wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince herself, or Kakashi more but she hadn’t lied.</p><p>At least she was being honest and he was glad Naruto wasn’t there at the moment because if he had been, she wouldn’t have been quite so blunt.  So, there was more to the story than he thought...interesting.</p><p>“Fair enough.”  He eye crinkled at her, making her eye crinkle back at him.  “Ready for that brutal reminder Sakura, that I’m still the master here?”</p><p>“Bring it on old man.”  She laughed and taunted him.  “I need to feel something right now and pain is a great remedy.”</p><p>So, she wasn’t exactly over Sasuke, he cocked his head to the side.  Was that what she was getting out of her new closeness to Izuna, closure?</p><p>There are many different kinds of pain, he thought to himself as they squared off.  This is just one of them, the most fulfilling one, he would agree with her, the most rewarding as far as he was concerned...but there were other kinds of pain.  He could see it in her eyes.  She was in pain right now, confused and maybe a bit lost.</p><p>He didn’t blame her for turning to Izuna and he didn’t blame Izuna for turning to her...however, he cared about Sakura...and couldn’t give two fucks about Izuna.  Sasuke was already suspicious.  His plan to ‘Make her understand’, wasn’t working out very well.  He had tried to warn the kid, that breaking up with her and pushing her away, to ‘Make her realize she wanted to marry him’, was a horrible idea.</p><p>Idiot.</p><p>“Ready Sakura Chan?”  Kakashi winked at her over the cover of his face mask that he always wore when he spared with her.  He was happy to give her what she needed.</p><p>“Less talk, more blood Kakashi Sensei.”  Sakura lunged forward, her fist making contact with the matt right where Kakashi’s left leg had been moments ago.</p><p>She missed.</p><p>“Out of shape Sakura?  You need to come by the dojo more kid.  What’s the use of being one of the best surgeons in Konoha Hospital if you can’t even tag your old decrepit sensei anymore?”  He teased her.  “Shit!”</p><p>Sakura laughed, spun and ducked as his leg breezed over her head.  “I almost had you there old man, and what does being a surgeon have to do with kicking your ass?”  Rolling her shoulder to avoid the direct hit she let his fist skim her upper arm, then turned her front to the side, ducked and stepped to the left, bringing her forearm down across his unprotected back.</p><p>“Oooff.”  Kakashi acknowledged her hit with an explosion of breath from his lungs.  “Point to you Sakura Chan.”  He smiled at her.  She was still in pretty good condition for not having been to the dojo in over two months.</p><p>“Loser buys dinner Kakashi Sensei.”  Sakura flipped backward, avoiding his jab, spun and kicked out her right leg catching him in the ear.</p><p>“Is that your way of asking me out?”  He teased her.</p><p>Sakura rolled her eyes.  “Is that you trying to flirt old man?”</p><p>Kakashi laughed and ducked, but her heel had caught the side of his head, he stumbled, she sprang forward with a two palm hit to the chest..he went flying across the mat, hit the wall and slid down the side like a cartoon.</p><p>“Oafff.”  The air exploded from Kakashi’s chest.  “Damn Sakura Chan, go easy on your poor sensei.”</p><p>“Point.”  Sakura pushed her sweat dampened bangs out of her eyes with the back of her hand.</p><p>“Wow.”  A male voice from the chairs spoke out loudly, clapping echoed through the dojo.</p><p>Sakura turned quickly to find a very smiley, very tall...Hashirama looking at her in awe.</p><p>“Ha Hashirama, what...what are you doing here?”  Sakura stood up straight, blushing.  “Are you...are you a student here?”  She turned her head to look at Kakashi who shook his head.</p><p>Kakashi knew him though, she could see the recognition in his eyes…</p><p>”Wait, forget it.  I don’t want to know.  We had a deal um, let me go change.  Thanks for the spar Kakashi, as usual, it was just what I needed.”  Sakura pushed more hair out of her eyes, ducked her head, a little shyly at Hashirama, then ran off the mat, bowing out quickly before running into the women’s changing room.</p><p>“She doesn’t know who you are?”  Kakashi wiped his sweat soaked face with his tee shirt.</p><p>“No, we met by accident.”  Hashirama said truthfully.</p><p>“So she doesn’t know you’re a Senju huh.”  It wasn’t a question.  Kakashi brushed his tee shirt down and walked over to the edge of the mat where Hashirama stood.</p><p>“We uh, kinda have this game or this...I don’t know what you would call it really.  Her boyfriend had broken up with her in the park and I was there feeding the birds, you know cause Tsunade told me to take some time off after...Madara and…  Well we, Sakura and I, got to talking and had lunch and…”  Hashirama’s eyes narrowed as Kakashi’s hand shot out toward his neck.</p><p>The tall brunette blocked the first, second, third and fourth attack easily, but the fifth caught him on the side of the cheek.</p><p>“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing with Sakura but she is more than a student to me, she’s like family so if you have any plans to treat her like the other women you usually ‘Play’ with, you should know...I won’t be the only one to kill you, but I will be the first to try.”  Kakashi growled.</p><p>“Easy Hatake.”  Hashirama held his hands up in front of him.  He could wipe the floor with Kakashi and they both knew it, for the man to threaten him was...admirable and said volumes about just how important Sakura was to Hatake.  “It is innocent I assure you.”</p><p>“Hey, so…”  Sakura paused as she came back into the main room of the school and looked from Kakashi to Hashirama.  “What the hell is going on?”  She demanded.  </p><p>She could see the reddened mark on the side of Hashirama’s face.  Kakashi had hit him.  She saw the shiver of tension running up and down Kakashi’s arms and chest...he was...livid.  She had only seen him this angry once before.</p><p>“Nothing.”  Kakashi relaxed his muscles with considerable effort.  “We’re fine.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, don’t lie to me Kakashi Sensei.  I can see your blood boiling beneath the surface, old man.”  Sakura put her hand on her hips.</p><p> </p><p>‘Old man’...’Sensei’...Hashirama looked from Sakura to Kakashi…”Oh.”  Understanding dawned on him.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh!”  Hashirama almost hit himself in the forehead.  “You’re ‘that’ Sakura!”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh?”  Sakura looked at Hashirama.  “What Sakura?”</p><p> </p><p>“Shut up!”  Kakashi growled.  “Not another word or two will be buried in the Uchiha Clan heads plot today!  I’m sure there’s room in Madara’s coffin for you too Hashirama!”</p><p> </p><p>Sakura’s mouth dropped open.  “You...knew Madara?”</p><p> </p><p>“He was my best friend.”  Hashirama looked down at the ground, ignoring Kakashi Hatake.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.”  Sakura said dumbly…</p><p> </p><p>“This isn’t, I mean...of all the ways I wanted you to get to know me and to get to know you this was the last...we had an agreement and…”  Hashirama trailed off, this was a disaster.  </p><p>He had made so many mistakes in his life, but with Sakura he felt, like he had a new start with someone who didn;’t know his past and now...Hatake would tell her, what a horrible person he really was and how he...she would never speak to him again.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi watched the man before him...struggle.  He narrowed his eyes.  Hashirama was no actor, this was genuine and...unexpected.  His slate grey eyes turned to Sakura.  She was analyzing the situation as usual, exactly what he would expect of her but...her head was cocked and she was looking at Hashirama Senju with…</p><p> </p><p>“I’m going to need you to tell me exactly what’s going on between the two of you.”  Kakashi took a step or two toward Sakura and laid a protective hand on her shoulder.  “Now would be a good time.”</p><p> </p><p>Sakura looked up at her friend.  He had never acted like this before, not with Sasuke.  Why was he...oh, Hashirama.  He knew something about Hashirama that she didn’t...not that she knew much about him herself of course.</p><p> </p><p>“No.”  Sakura laid her hand over Kakashi’s.  “It’s okay.  He’s okay.”  Sakura looked at Hashirama who was smiling at her.  He looked...relieved.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not a little girl anymore Kakashi Sensei.”  Sakura smiled at her friend.  “You don’t have to protect me anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi rocked back on his heels and shoved his hands in his front pockets.  “I know Sakura.”  He turned to Hashirama.  “As long as he knows...I will if you ever need me to.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hatake, I mean her no harm, surely you must know that, Rin was...that was an accident and…”  Hashirama ducked as Kakashi’s fist grazed the side of his face again.</p><p> </p><p>“Get out.  Don’t ever bring Rin up to me again, get out.  I made my peace with you a long time ago, so did Obito but you have some nerve coming back here after, after...”  Kakashi growled.  “Sakura, I don’t know what your relationship is with him but you should know there is a history here between us all that will never be forgotten.”</p><p> </p><p>“I loved her.”  Hashirama said quietly.</p><p> </p><p>“So did I.”  Kakashi growled again.  “So did Obito.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tell me.</p><p>Doing a comment poll because I am up in the air about it:  DO you want a dark Hashi or a regular one?  Not a cannon idiot one but just normal one, or do you want him dark and devious?</p><p>I will wait until Sunday evening to poll the comments EST.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So…”  Sakura looked at Hashirama as they walked down the street together after leaving Kakashi and Naruto’s dojo.  “Are you going to tell me what that was about or are we really going to stick to the whole no personal stuff rule?  I said that back there because well, I could see how upset Kakashi was and…”</p><p>She stopped talking and turned around.  Hashirama had stopped walking.  He was looking at his shoes and shaking his head slowly.</p><p>“Maybe...we should just say goodbye here.”  Hashirama ran his fingers through his long brown hair and gave her a fake smile.  “I know Hatake and...this isn't good.  I didn’t mean to go in there today, into his dojo, I mean...I saw you through the windows when I walked by and…”</p><p>“My hand was on the door before I could tell myself that it was a mistake.  I knew whose dojo it was and I shouldn’t have...uh”  He shrugged.  “I don’t know your number or have a way to contact you because well…”  He waved his hand through the air that separated them.</p><p>“Maybe you’d be better off, you know, with your friends if we just...I mean it was just for fun, just talking and we don’t even know one another so…”  He was rambling, he knew he didn’t make a lot of sense but…</p><p>“Hey.”  Sakura swung her gym bag over her shoulder more firmly and placed one of her hands on his shoulder stepping forward and ducking her head a bit to catch his eye.  “It’s okay.”</p><p>Hashirama looked down at her in surprise.  “It’s okay?”</p><p>“Yeah.”  She grinned at him, her eyes crinkling up cutely, her nose wrinkling a bit as she smiled.  “Whatever happened between you and Kakashi and uh...Obito and this Rin...it has nothing to do with me and how we met in the park so, no big deal okay?”</p><p>Hashirama blinked.  She was so kind and understanding and…”I think you might come to regret your kindness but, thank you Sakura.”</p><p>He smiled a real smile at her.  Everyone makes mistakes, she thought to herself.  She had made plenty of them, she couldn’t and wouldn’t judge him.  He had been nothing but nice to her and while she had no idea what happened or why Kakashi reacted the way he did...Hashirama seemed okay to her.</p><p>It seemed like it had happened a long time ago, and Sakura knew the feeling of holding onto something that dragged you down.  If she could offer that freedom to Hashirama, she would.  Her heart lightened as she looked at his smiling face.  He already looked happier.</p><p>“Noooo problem Hashirama.”  Sakura smiled again, pleased she could help someone with their problems even if she had no idea how to help herself with her own.  “I’m hungry, want to get lunch with me?”</p><p>“Of course I do!”  Hashirama grinned widely at her, relief washing over him.  “My treat this time though, you paid last time.”</p><p>Sakura chuckled to herself.  “Did I?”</p><p>Hashirama nearly tripped over his own feet.  “Ino?”  He asked her sheepishly.</p><p>“Yeah, we’ve been best friends since we were six years old.”  Sakura laughed.</p><p>Hashirama’s eye glittered as he looked at her.  She had said no personal information but...she had just told him something very personal about her childhood.</p><p>“Do you want to drop your bag off first or perhaps change?”  He offered after clearing his throat.  “I could meet you at the restaurant, wherever you want to go.”</p><p>Sakura paused.  She really did need to change and maybe shower real quick.  “Yeah, actually, it might be a good idea for me to shower.  Kakashi gave me a work out.  Want to meet at the pub, the small one by the Naka River in an hour?”</p><p>“I look forward to it.”  Hashirama bowed to her, making her blush.  He had no idea which pub she was referring to though.  “Uh, what’s the name of the pub?”</p><p>Sakura laughed.  “There is only one pub by the river.”  She looked him over.  “You don’t know of it though.”  She said, more to herself than him.</p><p>“No, I am usually working.  I don’t typically have this much spare time but I’m on a ...break at the moment.”  He tried to smile.</p><p>She nodded, that explained it.  She wondered but...they had agreed, no personal questions.  “I think I understand.”</p><p>He wondered if she did, he hoped that after they spent more time together that maybe...but before he could finish his thought she was moving again.</p><p>“Uh okay, I’ll see you soon.”  Sakura smiled, turned and started walking back to her apartment, hiding her blush in the collar of her shirt.</p><p>“See you soon.”  Hashirama said quietly to himself as he watched her walk away.  “I can’t wait.”</p><p>Sakura was still smiling to herself as she turned the corner of the street and walked up the stairs to her second story apartment and pulled the key from her pocket.</p><p>“Isn’t that a little inappropriate Sakura?”  The droning drawl of Sasuke Uchiha filled her ears, making her feet stop on their own.</p><p>Sakura lifted her head and narrowed her eyes at the short haired Uchiha leaning against her front door like he owned it...which he didn’t.  She made sure that she rented an apartment that wasn’t in one of the many apartment buildings that the Uchiha owned and operated.</p><p>“I don’t know what you are referring to Sasuke, but don’t you think it is a little inappropriate for you to be here?  Shouldn’t you be at your Uncle’s wake?”  She shot back at him, pushing him out of the way as she shoved her key into the lock.  What was inappropriate?  Her gym bag?  Her existence in his world?  Asshole...</p><p>“I would be if I hadn’t been sent out to look for the new clan head.  You know, Izuna who left Uncle Madara’s funeral, with you?”  He grabbed her hand to keep her from opening her front door.</p><p>“Let go of me Sasuke.”  She growled low in the back of her throat, her eyes flashing dangerously.  “You broke up with me, you have no business being here.  I don’t know where Izuna is, he left earlier this morning and I went to the dojo so I haven’t seen him since.”</p><p>She knew that wasn’t the only reason he was here.  His plan had backfired and he was trying to...she wasn’t exactly sure what he was trying to do at the moment actually.  If he was trying to get her back he was doing a horrible job of it.</p><p>“What was he doing at your apartment, Sakura.”  Sasuke tightened his grip on her wrist and shooker her forcefully.  “Did you fuck him?”</p><p>Her eyes went wide.  Sasuke had never spoken to her like this before.  He had never been jealous before and she realized, that’s why he was acting like this.  He was jealous...of Izuna.</p><p>However...</p><p>Sakura’s right hand shot out and slapped him hard across the face.  “I did not, but if I did, it wouldn’t be any of your business!”  She slammed her heel down on the bridge of his foot and kicked his left leg out from underneath him.  His arms windmilled as he attempted to remain upright.  She pressed her advantage...</p><p>“Fuck you Sasuke!”  Sakura pushed her front door open, threw her bag inside and slammed the door in his face.  Once inside, with the door firmly shut behind her, she looked out the peephole in her door.  She growled to herself, he was still there, glaring at her door.  Damn it...she had to meet Hashirama in an hour. She didn’t have time for this…he would wait there all day if he had to.</p><p>...or pick her lock.  She had stolen his apartment key from his ring and had locked him out of their apartment...when they had been fighting.  That’s when she found out he could pick locks.</p><p>This wasn’t good.</p><p>Kicking her gym bag across the room she looked up as the zipper on her bag scratched against glass.  “Of course.”  </p><p>Sakura laughed as she pulled her shirt off over her head, walking toward her bathroom.  She would just climb down her balcony.  She was only on the second floor.  It would be a piece of cake.  I couldn’t be that high of a drop for a trained martial artist.</p><p>Forty minutes later Sakura stifled a small shriek as she landed on the grass below her balcony.  It had been a steeper drop than she had thought.  “Ouch.”  She bent over and rubbed her ankle.</p><p>Damn that Sasuke for making her do this.  Sakura straightened her clothes, then looked up into the red eyes of a very tall, very amused looking white haired man.</p><p>“Uh, excuse me.”  Sakura blushed...had he seen her climb over the side of her balcony, hang from it by her arms and drop to the ground?  How embarrassing.  She knew she had hesitated and dangled there for at least two heart beats before she had scrunched up her eyes and let go of her railing.</p><p>Had he seen that?  She blushed.</p><p>“There are stairs you know.”  The man crossed his arms over his chest and looked down the bridge of his nose at her.</p><p>He had...ugh.</p><p>“I know but um, I am kinda avoiding someone so, if you’ll excuse me please.”  Sakura bowed politely, then ran in the opposite direction, ignoring the increasing pain in her left ankle.</p><p>Tobirama Senju watched the strange woman run away from him and wondered who the hell she was.  He looked up at the balcony she had dropped down from.  “Ah.”</p><p>“The new tenant.”  Tobirama rolled his eyes and walked around the side of his apartment building where he saw Sasuke leaning up against the wall of his building looking down at his phone..  “Can I help you with something?”</p><p>Sasuke looked up from his phone at the white haired man and shook his head.  “No, I’m waiting for someone.”  He looked back down at his phone in his hand, rudely dismissing Tobirama.</p><p>“Does she have pink hair?”  Tobirama asked the man, who had so rudely dismissed his inquiry, this must be the person that woman was trying to avoid.  He could see why.  “Cause she just went that way.”  Tobirama pointed in the direction the strange woman had run off to.</p><p>“Damn it Sakura!”  Sasuke shoved his phone in his pocket and ran to his car, flung the door open and threw it into reverse.</p><p>Tobirama watched the man drive away.  </p><p>“Sakura?”  He rolled the name over in his head for a moment, the same Sakura his brother had met in the park, the woman that was with Izuna Uchiha?  </p><p>“The probability is highly unlikely.”  Tobirama muttered to himself, reaching for his keys and getting into his car.  He had other properties to check on and it wasn’t any of his business, but as he pulled out of the parking lot he couldn’t help but wonder.  His curious mind was running wild again.</p><p>He thought over everything he knew about this mysterious woman, which wasn’t much.  What had the receptionist said the new tenant’s name was?  Haruno or Hakuno, but the first name..Sakuna, or was it Sakura?  He would have to check.</p><p>Sakura winced with every step.  She had stopped running as soon as she had rounded the second corner but her ankle still pained her and now...it was starting to throb.  “This is just my terrible luck.”</p><p>Like Hashirama had said, they didn’t have each other’s phone numbers, didn’t know where one another worked...if she didn’t meet him at the pub now he might leave and she might never see him again.</p><p>She wondered if that happened...if she didn’t show up would he go looking for her?  Would he go to the park to see if she would go there looking for him?  She blushed, pushing her girlish thoughts from her head, she was being silly.</p><p>Two more blocks, she encouraged herself.  She was almost to the river.</p><p>Tobirama hung his cell phone up and turned left onto main street.  His receptionist confirmed it.  The woman’s name was Sakura Haruno.  Now all he had to do was confirm that Sakura Haruno was the same Sakura that his brother Hashirama had met in the park...then he would find out if she was the same Sakura that the Uchiha had been speaking of.</p><p>Just as he was about to turn right, into the downtown flats his family owned, that he managed, he saw a pink.  Narrowing his eyes...he realized it was that woman, the one he had seen dropping down from her balcony and she was...limping.</p><p>“Idiot.”  Tobirama muttered to himself.  “That’s what happens when you jump off a second story balcony.”</p><p>“Hey.”  Tobirama called out from the open window of his car to the woman once he had come up alongside her in the street.  “Are you okay, you’re limping.”</p><p>Sakura’s mouth dropped open, it was that man from her apartment building.  “Are you following me?”</p><p>“Of course not, don;t be ridiculous.  I was driving down the street and saw you limping, no doubt from your idiocracy earlier.  Do you need me to call someone to pick you up, or take you to the hospital?”  He offered her.</p><p>Sakura flushed with embarrassment.  She knew he must think her some sort of moron, he had already called her ridiculous...and he had seen her jump off her second story balcony.  “I’m meeting someone.”</p><p>Tobirama nodded.  “Fine then.”  He rolled his window up , then down again.  “What’s your name?”</p><p>“What?”  Sakura groaned out loud.  She was right in front of the pub.  She hoped Hashirama wasn’t looking out the window.</p><p>“I manage the building you were at, you’re Sakura right, the new tenant?”  He prodded her for information bluntly.</p><p>“If you already know who I am why are you asking me my name?”  She was irritated.  Why wouldn’t he just go away.</p><p>“Do you know Hashirama?  Hashirama Senju?”  Tobirama asked her, watchingher eyes for any hint of deception or recognition.</p><p>“Senju?”  Sakura gasped, her hands coming up to cover her mouth.</p><p>“It seems, fate really wants us to know more about one another today.”  A grim voice spoke from behind her.  “Hello Tobi, fancy meeting you here.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Senju?  You’re Hashirama Senju, as in the President of Konoha Hospital, top surgeon in all of the five great nations...Hashirama Senju?”  She rounded on Hashirama who had come up to stand behind her, looking at his brother with a bemused expression on his face. Sakura’s head was spinning.  “The millionaire who was in Konoha Elite Magazine who was voted the number one eligible bachelor, that Hashirama Senju?”</p><p>“Yeah.”  Hashirama ducked his head.  “I sound more important than I am when you say it like that though.”</p><p>“...and I asked you to go to lunch with me at the tempura shack.”  Sakura face palmed, but that wasn’t the worst of it.  He was also...her boss.</p><p>Sakura’s mouth opened and closed.  She couldn’t even begin to think of what to say next.  Fortunately…  </p><p>“So, what’s your last name?”  Tobirama was annoyed with his brother’s interruption.  He still had to confirm her last name to make sure she was the new tenant.  Just a first name wasn’t enough information in his opinion.</p><p>“Haruno.”  Sakura looked from Tobirama to Hashirama.  “Dr. Sakura Haruno.  I’m a new surgeon at Konoha Hospital.”</p><p>Hashirama stuttered, then choked.  Speechless.  He hadn’t been expecting that.</p><p>“If you're a doctor why in the hell would you do something so foolish as to drop off the rail of a second story balcony woman?”  Tobirama, nothing daunted, continued to berate her stupidity.</p><p>“You jumped off a balcony?  Whos?”  Hashirama found his voice again.  “Why would you do that Sakura?”  He laughed a little, making her blush again...she seemed to be doing that a lot lately.</p><p>“Uh, mine. I was trying to get away from um...him.”  Sakura nodded to another car that had pulled up alongside Tobirama’s.  “My ex-boyfriend, Sasuke Uchiha.”</p><p>“Sakura, get in the car.  We need to talk.”  Sasuke ignored the other two men, his eyes boring into Sakura’s.  “Now.”</p><p>“Excuse me, I don’t know what’s going on here but…”  Hashirama didn’t like the way the man was speaking to Sakura and he could tell she wasn’t happy to see him here.  Hashirama recalled the man from the park, when he had publicly broken up with her and frowned.  Then he remembered the conversation he and Tobirama had overheard at Madara’s wake.  He thought she was with Izuna, perhaps…</p><p>“Mind your own business.”  Sasuke glared at Hashirama, then spoke to Sakura again.  “Get in the car Sakura, we’re going back to our apartment.”</p><p>“You’re apartment.  You kicked me out remember, when I told you I wasn’;t sure if I wanted to get married or not?”  Sakura didn’t care who heard, she didn’t care that everyone in the pub was probably watching.  “I have nothing to say to you Sasuke, go back to your Uncle’s wake.  I’m sure Izuna has returned to the manor by now.”  She turned to Hashirama.</p><p>“I’m sorry about this Hashirama but maybe we should do this another time.”  Sakura inclined her head to Tobirama who blinked.  “I need to wrap my ankle anyway.”</p><p>She began to limp away, ignoring Sasuke’s angry shouts behind her.  </p><p>Hashirama shared a look with his brother.  “Go on Tobi.  I’m going to go talk to her.  Could you um…”  He pointed not so subtly at Sasuke who was still shouting at Sakura to get in his car.</p><p>“I got it.”  Tobirama shifted his car into park and got out of the driver’s side, walking to Sasuke’s car with a grim expression on his face.</p><p>Sakura could hear the soft foot pads thumping on the sidewalk.  With his long legs, he had caught up to her in no time...she was still limping, it wasn’t like she could run away very fast...even if she wanted to and she did.</p><p>“Sakura.”  Hashirama fell into step beside her.</p><p>“Hashirama.”  Sakura looked straight ahead avoiding his eyes.  She was already embarrassed enough, having been seen dangling from her balcony by his brother Tobirama and then by Sasuke showing up to yell at her in front of him...her boss of all people, she berated herself.</p><p>“I want to see you again.”  He said at the same time she said sadly…”I don’t think we should see one another again.”</p><p>“...but.”  He began.  This didn’t have to be a big deal.  They had only shared one lunch together but he had really enjoyed her company and wanted to...get to know her better, see where it went.  Something he rarely did.</p><p>“You’re my boss.”  Sakura said flatly.  “It’s against company policy.”</p><p>“Only if we date, not if we’re...friends.”  He pointed out.</p><p>“Tsunade Shishou…”  Sakura began.</p><p>“I’ll handle my cousin.”  He insisted, his hand rising slowly to tap her on the nose.</p><p>She blinked.  She smiled.</p><p>“So, let’s wrap that ankle up, a sprain no doubt...then lunch?”  He waited, his heart in his throat.  </p><p>She was a surgeon, like him...they had so much in common…and she was, might be single.  He would have to ask, later though.  They had agreed to be friends.  She was smiling again and he didn’t want to press his luck.</p><p>...besides, someone had told him once that being friends with a woman before having sex with them was how a good relationship began.  That’s what he wanted...a relationship...with Sakura.</p><p>“I suppose but…”  Sakura smiled up at him, a gleam in her eye.  “You’re going to be the one to tell Tsunade about our new...friendship.”</p><p>“Deal.”  He put his arm around her shoulder.  “Lean on me.”  He said simply.</p><p>“Oh but um...I’m fine, it doesn’t hurt that much and…”  His arm was heavy and his palm was warm on her skin.</p><p>“Please, it will help...doctor.”  He looked down at her, the slightest bit of a flirtatious smile on the corner of his lips.</p><p>“Okay.”  She gave in.  It had been a long day...and it wasn’t even noon yet.</p><p>“Come on.  We’ll go to my place, it’s right around the corner.”  He felt her shoulders stiffen under his arm.  “I think it’s too late to pretend we don’t know one another now, don’t you?”  He tried to laugh it off but he could see the tension around her eyes as she looked up at him.</p><p>“We’ll still try to keep it simple though, if we can.”  He tried to reassure her as well as himself but this was anything but simple and they both knew it.  They knew too many of the same people, and worked at the same hospital.</p><p>“Okay.”  Sakura leaned into him a little more.  He was a lot taller than she was, most people were, but it was really nice having him here to lean against, to support her like he was.  Her ankle still hurt, but it was much better now that she wasn’t putting her weight on it...or running down the street.  </p><p>Hashirama smiled as Sakura allowed him to take most of her weight upon himself.  Looking over his shoulder he could see his brother Tobirama who was still speaking with Sasuke Uchiha.  Hashirama had never formally met Sasuke before, Madara’s youngest nephew, but he did know him by name.  He supposed he ought to have put two and two together in the park that day but, he hadn’t.</p><p>Turning his head back around he looked down at Sakura.  She wasn’t looking at him, her eyes were on the ground, no doubt concentrating on where she was placing her other foot.  Hashirama heard a car door slam, a squeal of tires, and his brother yell something after the departing Uchiha that sounded suspiciously like a curse.</p><p>He could feel Sakura’s shoulder bow in upon herself and squeezed her lightly.  “Don’t worry, Tobi doesn’t get offended easily, he is usually offending everyone with his cold attitude toward others.”</p><p>“I’m not worried about Sasuke getting offended.”  She said quietly, looking up at him out of the corner of her eye.  “This is just...so embarrassing.”</p><p>“Which part?”  Hashirama asked her thinking about what part of their interactions today could constitute as embarrassing.  “Hanging from your balcony, or having Tobirama interrogate you in front of the pub you were meeting me for lunch at?”</p><p>“All of that and uh, you’re my boss.”  She hunched her shoulders more and sighed.  “I never would have asked you to lunch that day, if I had known who you were.  I would have ran like hell, the other way.”  She laughed to herself.  </p><p>“You must think I’m an idiot.”  She smiled up at him good humoredly.</p><p>“Not at all Sakura.  If that man was still your boyfriend after speaking to you like he did, in public, then perhaps I would call you foolish, but he isn’t and you walked away from him.  You’re not an idiot.”  He paused.  “Hanging from the second story, dangling from your balcony…”</p><p>He chuckled, his shoulders shaking.  “I wish I could have seen that!”  He burst out laughing.</p><p>Sakura laughed with him.  “It wasn’t one of my more stellar moments.  Your brother certainly was not impressed.”  She continued to giggle as she recalled the look of amusement on Tobirama’s face.</p><p>“He must think I’m an idiot.”  She shrugged her shoulders, his arm moving with them.  “I guess it can’t be helped.  I didn’t expect Sasuke to be there when I got home.”</p><p>“Tobi thinks everyone is an idiot.”  Hashirama informed her.  “Especially me.”</p><p>Sakura laughed with him as they mounted the stairs to a large loft building.  </p><p>“Here we are.”  Hashirama said cheerfully as he took his key from his pocket and leaned her up against the wall beside his door.  “There’s a step just inside and uh.”</p><p>He looked at her, with a calculating sort of look in his eye, bent and picked her up.</p><p>“Hey!”  Sakura squeaked, then laughed.  “What are you doing?”</p><p>Hashirama smiled widely, this was fun.  “Carrying you, so you don’t trip on my lowered flooring in your injured state.”</p><p>“Okay Casanova.”  Sakura rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.  </p><p>Hashirama was fun, silly and laid back.  He was nothing like the man in the magazines, or on the news, he was...normal.  It just proved that the news and the media lied to the public.  When she talked with him, laughed with him...she didn’t see the cut throat millionaire or the playboy they painted him to be.  She just saw...him.</p><p>“I’ll set you on the couch and get some ice, then we can see what there is to do about that ankle of yours okay?”  Hashirama walked across the dropped hard wood floors of his open living area and set her gently on his couch.</p><p>“Your home is very beautiful, Hashirama, I like how open it is.”  Sakura looked around the loft.  </p><p>The kitchen was off to the right, a long marble lunch counter lined the range island and small appliance center.  There was an industrial yet artistic stairway spiraling off to the left, a large three walled bedroom with open vents and ceiling fan, the bathroom she assumed was next to the kitchen or perhaps the laundry room.  It was really nice and yet...it didn’t remind her of something a millionaire would live in.</p><p>Humble, that’s what he was.  When she had met him...he had been feeding birds...in the park.  She smiled to herself.</p><p>“Thanks.  I lived here when I went to college and liked it so much that I stayed.  I bought the building and just kinda, moved a few things around.  It’s mostly the same as it was when I was in college though.”  He told her from the kitchen where he was filling an ice bag for her foot.</p><p>“You went to Konoha University I thought, why did you move out of the Senju Estate?  Tsunade, my mentor and your cousin still lives there.  Wouldn’t you just stay there while you went to school?”  It didn’t make sense to her.</p><p>“Ah, well…”  He capped the ice bag and moved to sit beside her on his couch.  “I would have but uh, my father and I didn’t get along very well.  It was hard at home...for me more than Tobirama.  There were a lot of expectations pushed onto me...that I had never wanted, but had been born into.”  </p><p>Again, Sakura was struck with the thought, that she had never really known Madara Uchiha, like she had presumed to know him.  She felt bad, like she had been selfishly taking his generosity without really understanding the man behind the kindness.  She wouldn’t make that mistake again, with Hashirama...or Izuna.</p><p>Not knowing her inner conflict, Hashirama grimaced.  “It’s still a bit of a sore spot really, even if the old man is retired and I run the hospital now, with Tsunade, he wanted me to be more than I am.”</p><p>“More than a brain surgeon?”  Sakura’s mouth dropped open.</p><p>“I’m the Head of the Senju Clan.”  He shrugged and lifted her foot onto his lap, pushing up her pants leg up and setting the ice bag over her swollen ankle as he pressed here and there.</p><p>Sakura winced slightly.  It wasn’t a bad sprain, she could tell, the ice helped.  She sighed, leaning back into the plush couch as the cold seeped into her muscles and tendons.  Relief.</p><p>“Thanks Hashirama.”  She opened her eyes, she hadn’t realized she had closed them.  He was looking at her intently.</p><p>“You and Izuna didn’t go to Madara’s wake.  Tobirama and I made an appearance, toasted Madara’s memory, then left but…”  How should he say this.  Should he say anything at all?  His curiosity was gnawing at him…</p><p>“We overheard Itachi and Mikoto speaking to one another in the kitchen.  Mikoto seems to be under the impression you’re dating Izuna Uchiha.”  He looked up to read her expression.  She looked slightly confused.</p><p>“Why does she think that?”  Sakura asked herself, but out loud so Hashirama heard.</p><p>“You laid a rose on Madara’s coffin with him, like uh…”  Hashirama trailed off.  He felt ridiculous, of course she wasn’t dating Izuna.  She didn’t know what he was talking about.  “It’s nothing, nevermind Sakura.”</p><p>“I’ll get an ace bandage and wrap your ankle for you now.  Maybe we should order in.  You ought to stay off that ankle for a bit, at least until tomorrow.”  He left her on the couch and walked to the back of the kitchen, through a door she couldn’t see but heard open then close, and returned with two ace bandages.  One soft and one elastic.</p><p>“Izuna and I aren’t dating.  He just lost his brother and I gave him comfort.”  Sakura said quietly once Hashirama returned to the couch. </p><p>“We’ve been friends since I was, well...we’ve been there for one another since I was little, he’s one of my closest friends.”  She watched him wrap her ankle with all the skill of a seasoned doctor, which he was.</p><p>“I understand.  I only mention it because it seemed to have upset your ex-boyfriend, who was looking for you at the wake.”  He explained.</p><p>“Ridiculous.”  Sakura scoffed.  “He just broke up with me, like I would start a new relationship less than twenty four hours later with someone, and someone so close to him.”  She bit her bottom lip...they weren’t in a relationship no, but...</p><p>Hashirama laughed, preventing her from thinking too hard on the subject of what she was to Izuna and what Izuna was to her.  </p><p>“Well, like I said we had overheard the conversation by mistake and I might have misunderstood.”  He knew he hadn’t misunderstood but Sakura didn’t seem upset about it, so he wouldn;t be upset either.</p><p>“I don’t want to date anyone right now.”  Sakura said flatly, then realizing how childish that sounded she added.  “At least, not right now.  Yet.”</p><p>“I hear it is wise to take a break in between relationships.”  He said as he pinned the ends of the bandage to the bottom of the wrap and patted her toes gently.  “I've never been in a serious relationship myself before, so I wouldn’t know.”</p><p>“Never?”  She asked him rather surprised at such an honest admission.</p><p>“Never had time.”  He ducked his head a bit, it was best to get this out of the way, she should know what she is getting into...if they...  “Or an interest to want more.”</p><p>“More?”  Sakura didn’t understand.  “Oh!”  She realized what he ment.</p><p>“I’m not perfect.  Hatake will tell you I’m sure, but I’m not a bad guy.”  He said cautiously.  “I’ve just...made a lot of mistakes.”</p><p>“So you’ve never had more than uh…”  She didn’t want to say it.  In case she was wrong.</p><p>“One night stands.”  He licked his lips nervously.  “Yeah.  Ready to run yet?”</p><p>“We’re just friends Hashirama.”  She reminded him.</p><p>He nodded, but his eyes watched her intently, looking for a reaction, any reaction to his statement that might give him an idea of how she saw him.  Nothing.  </p><p>“Shall I order lunch?”  He changed the subject rising from the couch and reaching across the lunch bar for his house phone.</p><p>“Great idea.  I’m starving.”  Sakura smiled, running her fingers over his wrap job.   Not noticing how the corner of his mouth had tightened slightly.   “Nicely done, Dr. Senju.”  She winked at him.</p><p>“You’re not the first woman I’ve tied up.”  He said punching a number into the phone, then choked.  “I meant.  I didn’t mean, I mean unless you like that but I really haven’t...there was this one time Madara and I but…”</p><p>Sakura’s mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide.  What the fuck?</p><p>“Oh kami that came out wrong.”  Hashirama groaned, she would never speak to him again...  “Let me explain.”</p><p>Sakura shook her head.  “I don’t want to know.”  She laughed.  Ino was going to have a field day…  “Let’s just order lunch okay, because I have no idea even how to have a conversation like that with you.”  Sakura laughed, making his laugh with her.</p><p>“Thank kami.”  He muttered catching her eye.  Her cheeks were red and flushed but her eyes sparkled.  Intrigued, he continued to look at her, until she looked away.  He cleared his throat, feeling his own cheeks heat up with embarrassment.</p><p>“Yeah, okay uh...what sounds good to you?”  He picked up the phone, refusing to look at her again.</p><p>Sasuke punched his steering wheel twice then threw his car into park.  What the hell did she think she was doing...first Izuna, now Hashirama Senju?  “The man is like twenty years older than she is for fucks sake!”</p><p>“Who is twenty years older than whom?”  Izuna asked Sasuke, surprising him.</p><p>Sasuke smirked.  “Hashirama Senju, is twenty years older than Sakura...and they are at his home right now having lunch and who knows what else.”</p><p>“What?”  Izuna shut the door to his car that he had just opened when Sasuke had driven into the Uchiha parking garage.  He had stopped in at Madara’s wake, had made the rounds, spoken to those he ought to speak to and was on his way back over to Sakura’s when Sasuke had pulled into the parking garage.  “Sakura is having lunch with Hashirama Senju?  At his home?”</p><p>“That’s what I said.  His brother Tobirama just headed me off from speaking to her.  I went to confront her as to why she had disappeared from Uncle Madara’s funeral...with you, but she snuck out of her apartment.  By the time I found her she was talking to Hashirama and Tobirama Senju outside of a pub, the one by the river.”</p><p>Sasuke smiled at his Uncle’s lost and irritated expression.  “I guess dumping her was the right choice after all.  Glad I didn’t marry the whore.”</p><p>Izuna shot across the three feet that had separated them and pinned Sasuke to the hood of his car by the throat...before his mind could comprehend what his body was doing, or why...</p><p>“So...you did fuck her.  I knew it.”  Sasuke spat in his Uncle’s face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Izuna paced back and forth in his bedroom.  Was Sauke telling the truth, he wondered.  Was Sakura really at Hashirama Senju’s home?  To his knowledge Madara had gone to great lengths not to let the man see the girl, to protect her.  What should he do, should he call her, should he do anything...would she even listen to him?</p><p>The servants had left his room alone after he had come home and found them moving his things from his room...to Madara’s.  He had been livid.  He had never given them the order to move his things.  He didn’t want to move into Madara’s room...not yet, it was...too soon.  It still smelled like his brother, like a lived in room...like Madara.</p><p>He would have to take the room eventually, but...not yet, maybe Sakura could come over and help him move and...he stopped pacing and looked down at his watch.  1pm.  Would she be done with lunch yet?  Should he go to her apartment?  Text her?</p><p>His brother had protected Sakura like she was one of their own, but she wasn’t.  How much control did he really have over this situation...what would Madara have done?</p><p>Izuna grit his teeth.  If they were dating ...  “We aren’t even together.”  He growled at himself.  Why was he so damn weak!</p><p>He hated it, this feeling whatever it was that was making him anxious, making him want to hurt someone or something.  He resumed his pacing.</p><p>A half hour went by, then another and another.  He grit his teeth.  This wouldn’t do.  He had to talk to her.  They needed to talk about...what they were, what their relationship was and if they even...had one.</p><p>Izuna grabbed his keys from his dresser and opened the door to his bedroom.  Izuna jerked back before he ran smack into his nephew.  “Itachi.”</p><p>“Uncle.”  Itachi bowed respectfully to Izuna.  “I came to ask you if we will be sponsoring the Konoha Hospital Spring Fling again this year.  The board requires an answer, Uncle Madara passed before he could sign the proposal for this year's budget.”  Itachi explained his presence.</p><p>“Ah, yes the Spring Fling.”  Izuna narrowed his brows as though in deep thought.  He had no idea what to do, much less how much they usually contributed or…”Itachi, do we host it or is it our turn to donate this year?”</p><p>“We alternate with the Senju as the annual hosts Uncle.  It is not our year to host, however…”  Itachi pulled a small folder from his shirt.  “Here is the spending from last year’s function, the projections for this year’s budget and what Uncle Madara approved the year before last.”</p><p>Grateful for Itachi’s foresight, Izuna looked over the paper in front of him.  “I see they want ten thousand more this year than last year for…”  He squinted at the paper.  “Lanterns?”</p><p>Itachi nodded.  “Paper lanterns, how many lanterns will be given will be determined by the level of donation, the names of the donors painted on the lanterns and released just after dusk from the roof of the hospital.”  </p><p>“The budget shifted from the bonfire idea, to the lantern idea.”  Itachi told him.</p><p>“...but lanterns?”  Izuna had always liked the bonfire.  He had thought that this year he would invite Sakura to sit with him, roast marshmallows and...he frowned.  Itachi shifted his stance before him, making him look back up.</p><p>“It was Sakura’s idea.”  Itachi’s tone was gentle, coaxing, looking past his Uncle at the wall behind his head.  “She had slipped to her mentor Tsunade Senju, that she had always loved the lanterns in Kyoto and wished we could have a festival with lanterns here in Konoha.  Uncle Madara had voiced great interest in...pleasing her, before he...passed.”  </p><p>“Hn.”  Izuna looked back down at the paper.  “Ten thousand dollars more than the previous year though, just for paper lanterns.”</p><p>Itachi waited.</p><p>“I suppose we could…”  Izuna began.</p><p>“As I am sure you know, Uncle Madara would donate to the festival, privately each year.”  Itachi watched Izuna closely.  “Last year Uncle gave Hashirama Senju forty thousand dollars, personally.  For the hospital.”</p><p>Izuna didn't know that.  “Ah.  I see.”</p><p>...do you...Itachi continued to watch his Uncle.  </p><p>Did the man have the slightest idea how his brother had felt about Sakura?  Probably not, Itachi thought...like usual, he, Itachi was the only one to notice the slight undercurrents of their family.  Itachi sighed and waited for Izuna to make up his mind.</p><p>“I will donate thirty thousand to Hashirama Senju and his hospital, and ten thousand to um...the lanterns.”  Izuna looked up from the papers to see his nephew looking at him oddly.  “Does that sound um...okay?”</p><p>Itachi didn’t answer right away, he just looked at his Uncle and his Uncle looked at him.</p><p>“Itachi?”  Izuna and Itachi had always had a good relationship.  Izuna couldn’t ever remember a time that he had been at odds with the man and wondered what he was thinking.  Typically a quiet person, Itachi tended to mind his own business.  Seldom offering up his opinion freely or even when asked for it bluntly.</p><p>So it surprised Izuna a bit when he spoke again.</p><p>“Sakura is a very special woman Uncle.”  Itachi began slowly.  “She is very important to not only you, but the family, Hatake and Uzumaki San.  There are many who would not hesitate to...confront you, if you were to...use her in some ill fashion.”</p><p>Itachi’s words had been chosen carefully.  Executed with confidence and a strong unsaid...threat.</p><p>“Itachi.”  Izuna straightened his back, held the papers back out to Itachi and smiled softly.  “I will give forty thousand to the Senju and twenty thousand for the lanterns.”</p><p>“Please take it from my personal account.”  Izuna added, just to make sure his intentions toward Sakura, were clear.</p><p>Itachi blinked, bowed and walked back down the hall leaving Izuna alone once more.  He would hold his tongue and keep any further thoughts to himself...for now.</p><p>“That was great.”  Sakura sat back into the soft couch with a sigh making Hashirama chuckle.</p><p>“I’m glad you liked it.  Was it better than the meal Ino brought you after our lunch at the tempura cafe?”  He smiled, she looked happy and quite at home in his...home.  He rarely brought people back to his personal space.  There had been a few women over the years that he felt comfortable enough to bring home with him but...for the most part it was Madara or other members of his close family.</p><p>“That was amazing but I confess I’m not really a fan of fancy food.  Ino loved it.”  She smiled as his eyes sparkled at her.  He really was different than they portrayed him in the media.  “I like tempura and udon, simple miso...I admit, I’m not that fancy.”</p><p>“No, you’re not.”  Hashirama laughed when she immediately frowned at him.  “You’re beautiful.”</p><p>“Oh.”  Sakura blushed.  “Well, thanks.”</p><p>Hashirama liked this, liked her.  He didn’t have to be the Doctor, or the Millionaire with her.  He could just be himself, like he was with Madara and Tobirama...Tsunade and their cousin Toka.  It was...relaxing.  It was what he needed right now and hoped that…</p><p>“We can go somewhere a bit more interesting next time if you like?  I like my loft but I know it isn’t what most people expect.  Most expect me to live in some lavish home or estate surrounded by elaborate gardens and servants.”  He rubbed the back of his head a bit self consciously.  She said she liked simple things but...did she really mean that or...</p><p>Sakura bit her bottom lip between her teeth.  He was so...cute and…  </p><p>“This suits you.”  She told him.  “Maybe they expect that from you because they don’t know you.”</p><p>He smiled.  It was a different smile than the one he had been wearing a moment ago.  It made him look much younger, much happier.  Sakura cocked her head to the side in regard.</p><p>“You don’t get close to a lot of people do you?”  She said quietly.  “Yet...you’re surrounded by people at work, when you go out…”</p><p>She looked around the simple yet open loft.  “I understand why you like it here Hashirama, why you stayed here after college.”</p><p>Silence fell between them.  After a while he spoke again, softly, hesitantly...</p><p>“Perhaps you do.”  He said, scooting closer to her on the couch and taking a bit of her hair in between his fingers, weaving it in and out as he watched her.  “Thank you for coming over for lunch, Sakura.  I really enjoy spending time with you.  I’d like to see you again, as friends.”  </p><p>He watched her face fall a bit...had he said the wrong thing?  She had pointedly told him that she wasn’t ready for a relationship yet, that she didn’t want to date anyone.</p><p>“I...me too.  I mean, I had a good time too.”  She looked down at her watch.  “I should probably go.  My ankle feels a lot better now, thanks Hashirama.”  Sakura pushed herself up from the couch, setting a little weight down on her foot and winced slightly.</p><p>She hadn’t said she wanted to see him again...he fidgeted a bit in his seat...should he ask her...</p><p>“Maybe I should call a cab.  It isn’t that far but I don’t think Shisou would be very happy if I took Friday and Monday off.”  She laughed a bit thinking of what Tsunade would say, not only if she called in but about her and Hashirama.</p><p>“I’ll drive you.  I wouldn’t make you take a cab.”  Hashirama rolled his eyes looking very much like his cousin Tsunade.  </p><p>Sakura bit the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing again.  “I’ll take you up on that.  Thanks, I admit...I didn’t really want to call a cab for just a few blocks.”</p><p>“Allow me to get my keys.  Just a moment.”  Hashirama left her on the couch, walked to his stairs and grabbed his keys from his bedroom, pleased she had accepted his offer.  “Do you know how to ride shot on a bike?”  He asked her as he came back down the stairs carrying teo helmets.</p><p>“Shot on a bike?”  She didn’t know what that meant but she eyed the helmets with suspicion...he had a motorcycle didn’t he...</p><p>“When I said car, I should have said...uh, motorcycle.”  He grinned at her.</p><p>Of course he did...like Madara...best friends indeed...</p><p>“Oh uh.  I’ve never been on a motorcycle before.”  Sakura followed him out of his loft and down the front step.  She wasn’t sure how she felt about this.  It made her a bit nervous thinking of getting on the back of a motorcycle.  Sakura wrung her hands in front of her nervously.  He was a doctor for kami’s sake, he saw the car crash victims, the ones who made it to the ER, most of which were not the motorcyclists, because they usually died!    “Maybe I should just call a cab.  What if I uh, fall off?”</p><p>Hashirama laughed out loud, she was adorable.  “I promise not to go very fast.  I think you’ll really like it Sakura.  Once you get used to it.”</p><p>“I don’t know about that.”  Sakura muttered, rising to her feet cautiously.  It was approximately a mile from her apartment to the pub they had planned on meeting at and another mile from the pub to his loft.  Maybe she would just walk...</p><p>“Here.”  Hashirama picked her up like he had when they had first gotten to his home and carried her out the door.</p><p>Hashirama watched Sakura bite her lips.  Did she have the slightest clue how irresistibly adorable that was…</p><p>“It’s quite safe Sakura.  We’ll be going through the entertainment district, the speed limit there is only 25mph.”  He handed her a helmet with a smile.  “I promise you I will go slow.”</p><p>“Okay but um.  I heard that if you don’t lean a certain way or do it right you can fall over!”  She was panicking.</p><p>He laughed out loud again.  “My gosh you are the most adorable thing I have ever seen!”  He grinned at her.  “So cute.”  His eyes shone as she gawked at him.</p><p>“I’m really nervous!”  She knew he was trying to be nice and take her home but she honestly, would rather walk.  “Maybe I could just, um…”</p><p>“Come on Doctor. Live a little.”  Hashirama snapped the helmet into place over her head, put his own on and turned to her.  </p><p>“Here.  Trust me Sakura”  He held his hand out to her.</p><p>Sakura wrinkled her nose up and glared at the bike.  “I just met you, trust you...besides it isn’t you I’m worried about, it’s your bike.”</p><p>“Come on darling.”  Hashirama motioned her to the side of the bike where he was smiling at her.</p><p>“Uh, how do I…”  She had never ridden a bike before, how the hell did you even ‘Get on’ it.  “Is it, I mean, do I get on it like you do a bicycle?”</p><p>“Yes.”  So adorable!  “Just like a bicycle.”  He told her, holding back the sudden urge to kiss her and tweak her nose.</p><p>Sakura narrowed her eyes at the man...he was laughing at her in his head, she knew it.</p><p>“Sakura.”  Hashirama’s voice was more serious.  “Didn’t you jump off your second story balcony earlier today?”</p><p>She glared at him.  “That’s completely different Hashirama!”</p><p>“Yeah, it’s much more dangerous.”  He looked down at her wrapped ankle.  “Come on Hime.”  He picked her up and sat her on his bike.  Sakura gasped and clutched at the seat, her green eyes wide.</p><p>“It isn’t even moving.”  He chuckled at her.</p><p>“Just hook your feet there and yes, that’s it, easy, see?”  He smiled at her and flicked her nose playfully.  She grumbled.</p><p>Throwing his leg over the side he sat down in front of her.  “Wrap your arms around me so you don’t slide off.”</p><p>Sakura hesitantly hugged his back, but when he kickstarted his motorcycle her arms tightened around him with such force he could have sworn she had cracked at least two of his ribs.  She was definitely a martial artist.  It was kinda hot...Hashirama cleared his throat.</p><p>“Easy Hime.  I need to breathe, you know.”  Sakura buried her face in his long hair and closed her eyes.  He could almost feel her trembling against his back.  “Sakura, if you’re really this uncomfortable, I can call Tobi to come get you and…”</p><p>Twisting around in his seat a bit he looked down into her green eyes.  They were still wide and still a bit frightened but also...there was determination and...resolve there. </p><p>“Just go Hashirama.  I’m ready.”  She said confidently.</p><p>“As you wish, Hime.”  Hashirama smiled, adjusted his left mirror, watched herr lay her head against his back, squinch her eyes up and wrinkle her nose.</p><p>“So adorable.”  He smiled and pushed away from the curb as slowly and as gently as possible.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Izuna turned left onto Main street in the middle of the entertainment district, two blocks from Sakura’s apartment building.  He hoped she wouldn’t be upset that he was coming back to see her so quickly.  He had just seen her that morning but he...wanted to be the one to tell her he had approved her lantern idea for the Spring Fling and to...use it as an excuse to ask her to go with him, as his date.</p><p>It was a flimsy excuse, he knew that but he also wanted to ask her himself...if she had been to Hashirama Senju’s home for lunch.  He knew better than to make assumptions, particularly with sensitive issues, he had learned that from his brother.  This was a sensitive issue.  He had learned that, from his sister.</p><p>He drummed his fingers on his steering wheel as he slowed for the yellow light in front of him, watching the light turn red, he glanced to the left and nearly took his foot off the brake in his surprise.</p><p>Sakura was on the back of...a motorcycle.  Sakura was on the back of Hashirama Senju’s motorcycle.  Sasuke had been right.  Sakura had been at Hashirama Senju’s home, unchaperoned, unprotected.  This. Wouldn’t. Do.</p><p>He had to calm himself.  If he approached this the wrong way, he would lose all credibility with her.  If he acted like a jealous protector, he knew her well enough to know...she would stomp him into the ground then run right into Hashirama’s outstretched arms...which is why his brother Madara had never introduced them.  He knew if he forbade her to see him, a friend of his, she would be intrigued and immediately seek the man out, or try to help him.  </p><p>Which is why Madara had chosen the easier, more reliable path of never introducing them in the first place.  Personally, Izuna thought it was because Madara knew Hashirama would attempt to pursue the woman and the Uchiha and the Senju had too much tied up in one another’s affairs to jeopardize their relationship.</p><p>Madara had always thought the world of Sakura and Izuna knew, if there was one woman who could have swayed his older brother into going to war for her...it would have been Sakura and he didn’t blame him.  </p><p>One kiss, that was all it had taken for him to realize, they could never go back to being just friends.  One night in her bed and he knew...they had both crossed a line that neither one of them would be able to hide behind again.  He had to tell her how he felt about her...before it was too late.</p><p>Dark eyes, as dark and as obsidian black as his brother Madara’s, watched Sakura and Hashirama pass through the intersection right in front of him.  Sakura’s eyes were closed, she didn’t even notice him.  She looked...terrified.  He grit his teeth.  As soon as the light changed, he turned left and followed the motorcycle back to Sakura’s apartment building.</p><p>Izuna parked his car at the end of the lot and watched with narrowed eyes as Hashirama pulled the woman’s arms from around his waist with difficulty.  It looked like Sakura hadn’t realized they had stopped and had been holding onto the man...too tightly.  Petrified.</p><p>Hashirama was smirking with pleasure and Izuna wanted to knock the smirk right off his face all the way to Suna.  The man had done it on purpose, had known she was terrified and had…  Izuna was fuming...was she limping?  Izuna leaned forward in his seat and watched Sakura lean up against Hashirama, clearly trying to keep her weight off of her left foot.  She was limping.</p><p>“What the hell?”  Izuna turned the key in his ignition and yanked them from the column, pushing his door open and slamming it shut behind him.</p><p>Sakura looked up at the sound of a car door slamming and saw Izuna stalking toward her and Hashirama.  She began to smile at him in greeting, but saw death in his eyes and took an awkward step back and away from Hashirama by reflex alone.  He looked just like Madara had when she and Sasuke had told him they were dating.</p><p>‘Good’, Izuna told himself, she knows not to hold onto him in my presence at least.  He hoped  it was because she had felt subconsciously, what he had earlier that morning, and the other night, that they had bonded and had...stepped over that invisible ‘Friend’ line.</p><p>‘Let no other man touch her from now on but me’, Izuna growled to himself as he stepped in front of her.</p><p>“Izuna.”  Sakura tried to nod to her friend casually but failed miserably.  Guilt was written all over her face..  “I didn’t know you were coming back, how was Madara’s wake?”  Her voice broke, why did she feel so guilty…</p><p>Izuna’s face softened as he looked at her.  This wasn’t her fault he reminded himself, she didn’t know the man...she didn’t know that Madara had forbidden the clan to tell her anything about the Senju.  That Madara had set up tails to follow her to and from medical school when she had studied under Tsunade as an intern at Konoha Hospital...it wasn’t her fault…  He pushed his growing anger down, he wouldn’t take this out on her.</p><p>“Sakura.  I’d like to speak with you, if you will?”  Izuna tried to nod politely to Hashirama, he was the Uchiha Clan head, and Hashirama was the Senju Clan head, he couldn’t...lose his temper, he had to handle this...correctly.</p><p>“Thank you for bringing Sakura home Hashirama San, please, tell me what happened.”  Izuna looked pointedly at Sakura’s ankle, then back up to Hashirama and Sakura for an explanation...from one of them.  His eyes still bled murder, but his tone was...controlled and...neutral.</p><p>“I fell.”  Sakura said a little too quickly, and shortly.</p><p>“Ah yes.”  Hashirama looked down at Sakura following her lead.  “She fell.”</p><p>“I see.”  Izuna tried to maintain a control over his emotions that he didn’t feel he had the capacity to do for much longer.  She was lying, or not telling the truth.  Perhaps if he got her alone…  The Senju was far too close to Sakura, and was inching closer and closer to her as though, as though…</p><p>“Izuna?”  Sakura’s voice brought his eyes back to her.  “Are you alright?”</p><p>“Hn.”  Izuna nodded and cleared his throat.  He had never been very good at hiding his emotions, yet another reason Itachi might make a better clan head than him.  “I have her from here Senju San, thank you.”</p><p>Izuna stepped forward and took Sakura gently by the arm, lifted her up easily into his arms and was pleased when she merely placed her arm around his neck and looked up at him curiously.  He had worried she would protest, or...get angry and embarrass him in front of Hashirama.  She didn’t, she simply smiled at him, her arms hanging around his neck, as though he carried her like his bride everyday, all day.</p><p>“Thank you for lunch Hashirama.  I’ll see you at work when you get back maybe.”  Sakura smiled, then looked up into Izuna’s eyes as his hold on her body tightened considerably.</p><p>“It was my pleasure Sakura.  Yes, we will most definitely see one another at work.  I look forward to it.”  Hashirama bowed from the waist to her, then Izuna, a look of confusion on his face.  “Again, Uchiha San, my condolences for the loss of your brother.”</p><p>Izuna nodded again, more stiffly this time and watched with Sakura as the Senju mounted his bike, winked at Sakura then sped around the corner back onto Main Street and away.</p><p>Izuna stood there for quite some time looking after the Senju, long after the form and sound of Hashirama’s bike had gone.  Sakura licked her lips.  Clearly Izuna was...angry or worried...hurt maybe?  She wasn’t sure but she could tell something was...he was…  “Izuna?”</p><p>Dark eyes looked down into green.  “I never thought I would be the one to tell you this but...there is a reason Madara never introduced you to Hashirama Senju or his brother Tobirama. Sasuke told me that today...you met them both.”</p><p>There was no use sugar coating it, no use pretending why he was there.  It was clear, the time had come to...explain a few things to her about her mentor’s family, particularly about her mentor’s cousin, Hashirama.</p><p>“Well, yes but...I met Hashirama a day or so ago but, I don’t understand Izuna.  What’s wrong with Hashirama and his brother?”  Sakura’s eyes were wide.  It was one thing for Sasuke to get angry at her for being around or with other men, but Izuna...and Madara...she began to feel just a bit foolish.  Why hadn’t she ever met Hashirama or his brother...if he was Madara’s best friend, why hadn’t that occurred to her earlier?</p><p>She could blame it on the stress of her new job, on Madara’s funeral, her newly single status or the stress of her new intimacy with Izuna but...she really knew it was just because...because Sasuke had always told her that...no one would want her besides him, that only he thought she was beautiful, only he...wanted her and today she felt...wanted, by someone other than an Uchiha and it had felt...really good.</p><p>She was an idiot.  “Izuna I…”</p><p>“Let’s go inside first.  I’d like to hear why you're limping and why you were on the back of Hashirama’s motorcycle when clearly, you would have rather crawled home than gotten on the back of that deathtrap.  I’m not mad but...I just...there are some things you should know and it is my duty to tell you as the new clan head now.  Madara, he was going to tell you, after you... but uh...let’s just go in shall we?”  Izuna walked to the stairs of her apartment building and began to climb them without any of the expected protest from the woman in his arms.</p><p>Sakura fished her keys from her pocket and unlocked her door, while still in Izuna’s arms.  Izuna pushed the door open with his knee then pulled it closed with the side of his foot.  Walking across the room, he set Sakura down on her couch, then went back to lock her front door.</p><p>“I’ll make us some tea.  This conversation is going to be...long and complicated.”  Izuna tried to smile but it came off more as a grimace to Sakura.</p><p>“Izuna, just tell me one thing before we get started.  Am I in...any danger?”  She asked him bluntly.  She couldn’t remember ever seeing him like this, he looked ragged and...he hadn’t even seemed this fachet about his brother’s death.  Perhaps it was the combination of all the pressure he had suddenly carried.  First his brother passed away at a young age, then became clan head in his place...their...friendship that was clearly not a friendship.</p><p>Has he changed his mind?  Did he want to be more than...just friends?  Her heart jumped in her chest, did she want that?  His voice had her shaking her head.  “Sorry, what did you say Izuna?”</p><p>“I said no, you aren’t in danger because I won’t let anything happen to you, but there are a few things you need to be aware of about your new...friend and a few things you should know about...my brother and...I.”  He bowed his head, then ducked into her kitchen, leaving her on the couch to ponder his mysterious words.</p><p>Itachi found Shisui by the garden, a sword in one hand, a staff in the other.  “Izuna is interested in Sakura Chan.”  He said to his cousin without greeting.</p><p>“...but is Sakura Hime interested in Izuna San?”  Shisui smirked at his cousin.  Neither one of them had called Izuna, Izuna Sama yet, and they probably never would.</p><p>“Sasuke tells me Sakura is having lunch with Hashirama Senju.  At his home, alone.”  Itachi took the sword from his cousin’s hand without resistance and bowed low, facing him.</p><p>“He told me she met Tobirama today as well.”  Shisui spun the staff over his head, then behind his back pulling it to rest along the tops of his shoulders behind his neck, bowing to Itachi.</p><p>“I don’t trust the Senju.  There is a reason Lord Madara never introduced the man to her, or let the man visit the manor while she was here.”  Itachi fell into a defensive stance as Shisu flipped the staff up and over his head skillfully swinging it in an arc over Itachi’s head, then down to the ground bracing it against his weight so he could kick out high, blocking Itachi’s underhand strike.  “Lord Madara wouldn’t even invite them to the same functions, wary of the man gaining any sort of interest in Sakura.  It seems, Uncle knew his friend, very well.”</p><p>“Hn. Do you trust Izuna San?”  Shisui smirked, he already knew the answer to that.</p><p>“More than the Senju but…”  Itachi thrust his sword upward, skimming and shaving the wood along the wooden beam making Shisui frown.  “This is Sakura we are speaking of.  We promised Lord Madara we would take care of her, even against our own.”</p><p>“Hey, don’t ruin my staff Itachi.”  Shisui spun the staff quickly, criss crossing his arms, weaving the length expertly between his hands, wrists and fingers.</p><p>“You shouldn’t have brought a wooden weapon…”  Itachi swung hard against the draw of Shisui’s own executed jab, slicing the staff in half.  “To a sword fight.”</p><p>“Fucking hell Itachi!”  Shisui growled at the now, two pieces of seemingly useless wood in each of his hands.  Drawing them deeper into his palm, he changed his stance from defense to…</p><p>“Are you sure you want to keep going Shisui?”  Itachi’s voice was calm, kind and overly sarcastic.</p><p>“Ass.”  Shisui threw the two sticks to the ground.  “You owe me another staff Itachi.”</p><p>“Fine.”  Itachi sat down in the grass beside Shisui.</p><p>“So, I assume you have a plan?  What do we do?”  Shisui watched his cousin watch the clouds.</p><p>“We wait.”  Itachi smiled a soft smile into the sky. </p><p>“Wait?”  Shisui frowned again but for more important reasons than a broken staff.</p><p>“Sakura isn’t a fool.”  Itachi hummed a little in the back of his throat.  “She didn’t marry Sasuke like Lord Madara thought she would.”</p><p>Shisui nodded.  “No, she didn't but she did date him for two years.”  </p><p>“Out of convenience, out of...familiarity Shisui.  Sasuke is deeply in love with Sakura but...Sakura...is not in love with Sasuke.”  Itachi closed his eyes as the breath of spring flowed over his face and lifted his long ponytail from his back.  He turned his head, still tilted back from looking up at the sky and looked his cousin in the eye.  “She just didn’t realize how much she wasn’t in love with him, until he asked her to marry him.”</p><p>“...and now that she does?”  Shisui asked, ever curious for his cousin to share the results and wanderings of his ever turning brain.</p><p>“She is enjoying her freedom...a bit too much and needs to reign it in...before…”  Itachi rose to his feet and dusted his pants off.  “...before she gets hurt.  Lord Madara left her to our care, it doesn’t matter if she knows it or not.  It was the Uchiha’s will.”</p><p>“Hashirama you mean, she is enjoying his company a bit too much do you think?”  Shisui asked in complete understanding.  </p><p>“Yes, or his brothers.  It doesn’t matter which, where there is one, there is the other.”  Itachi said softly before turning to walk back to the manor house.  “...or have you forgotten Shisui, about Rin?”</p><p>Shisui growled low in the back of his throat.  “I’m not likely to forget.”</p><p>Itachi waited.  He knew his cousin.</p><p>“He claimed he didn’t know though Itachi.  Lord Madara...believed him, when no one else did.  He believed that the Senju was telling the truth.”  Shisui said exactly what Itachi had expected him to say.</p><p>“Yes, and that is the only reason the man is still alive.  Lord Madara...saved his neck that day, from both Obito and Hatake.  If Lord Madara hadn’t shown up when he did, Hashirama Senju would be dead and burned these past five years, but because of Lord Madara, he is still alive and well...to pull another beautiful, young hapless woman into the depths of danger with him.”</p><p>“He wouldn’t...take Sakura to...surely after what happened to Rin, he would never even entertain the idea of…”  Shisui couldn’t even say the words, he didn’t even want to think of such a horrifying fate befalling their beautiful Sakura.</p><p>“The man is the most intelligent and fortunate fool I have ever met.”  Itachi rubbed his forearm thoughtfully.  “His luck is undeniable, but it does not extend to those who may accompany him in his...entertainment.  Sakura is a woman of no ordinary appearance, far more beautiful than Rin.  We can not take the risk Shisui.”</p><p>“I know.”  Shisui knew Itachi had already made up his mind.  “I just, wish we didn’t have to kill him.”</p><p>“I said we would wait, watch and see how it progresses.”  Itachi tried to reassure his cousin.  “We won’t kill him unless we have to.”</p><p>“What about Izuna San?”  Shisui asked, convinced Itachi had likewise formulated a plan of action for their new clan head as far as Sakura was concerned.</p><p>“I believe he cares for her, sincerely, but I need to know how much and if it is more than...saition.”  Itachi rose from the ground, dusting his pants and shirt off.  “Shall we go inside?  I wish to check up on Sakura later this evening.  Let Izuna comfort her, or question her whichever he has elected to do.  We will bring her dinner later, as an excuse for our presence.”</p><p>“Sure thing.”  Shisui sighed, hopping up to his feet and following Itachi back into the manor.  </p><p>“Hope she doesn’t punch us both in the face when we tell her why we suddenly decided to bring her dinner.”  He muttered under his breath while Itachi ignored him.</p><p>Sakura could be mad, Itachi didn’t care.  He might not be the new Uchiha Clan head but Lord Madara, the former, had given him the task of protecting what was most important to him, besides the family...Sakura, and he would, no matter what.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This will be the last update until next week.</p><p>Working on a prequel to Tenacity.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura held her tea cup in her lap and waited for Izuna to begin the conversation.  It was a bit unnerving really sitting here like this with him, it reminded her of her conversations with Madara.  Conversations that...no one knew about, except for her, Madara and Obito Uchiha.</p><p>When she had started high school, Madara had sent Obito with the car for her after school one day, a day Sasuke hadn’t been to school, a day he had been out for a doctor’s appointment, requesting her to come to the manor...to speak to him.</p><p>Madara had been waiting for her when Obito had pulled up in front of the large manor.  He had opened her door, gave Obito a stern look and had ushered her quickly into the manor before anyone could see her.</p><p>Once inside, they sat down in the traditional style living room where a tea service had been laid out for them.  She had started to speak, asking him why she was there only to be gently shushed.</p><p>“It is customary for the Clan Head to speak when they are ready and for the attendee to sit quietly until spoken to.”  Madara had explained to her, smiling into his tea cup when she wrinkled her nose in dismay at him.</p><p>“I’m not a member of the clan Madara.”  She had reminded him.</p><p>“Of course you are dear.”  He had told her, amused at her denial of what he thought to be...evident.  “One day, we will make it official, but for now I think it best if only you, Obito and I think that.”</p><p>She hadn’t understood then, but she did now and she wouldn’t shame his memory but acting out of turn with the new Uchiha Clan head, his brother, Izuna.</p><p>Izuna cleared his throat.  Clearly she was waiting for him to speak.  It was reassuring and familiar the custom, knowing she was familiar with their ways only emphasized how important it was for him to explain the shared past between the Senju and the Uchiha, what had happened long ago and more recently.</p><p>There were ties that bind between the two clans, some good, some bad...some beneficial to both and some dark and bloody.  Izuna could not protect her while continuing to hide the truth from her, not now after she had met both Tobirama and Hashirama.  Madara had always meant to tell her, but he had passed away before he could.</p><p>Izuna cleared his throat again and reached out for her hand.  “I won’t bore you with the history between our clans but you should know that the history between the Senju and the Uchiha is a bloody one, as well as a joyous one.  It stretches back to the feudal era, to the warring states era where only the strongest and the most skilled survived alongside the wealthy, the powerful and the...desperate.”</p><p>Sakura listened as Izuna plodded through the past wars, some she was familiar with and others she had never heard of.</p><p>“There came a time that the two Clan heads of the era grew sick of the bloodshed, grew sick of burying their clan and so peace was made.  Peace that barely withstood the first ten years of negotiations that it took to sign a treaty.”  Izuna explained.</p><p>“Through the generations the angst and hatred of the past faded.  Each new generation lost a little of the animosity that the one before it held for the other clan, their sister clan and we became what we are today.”  He paused, his thumb stroking her knuckles gently.</p><p>“The Senju, since the feudal era had strong ties with the Uzumaki.”  Izuna smiled at Sakura’s raised eyebrows.  “Yes, the Uzumaki clan, Naruto’s clan.”</p><p>“The Uchiha...were never a very open clan and held very few ties or relations with other clans.  We were allied with the Sarutobi, but they tended to favor the Senju over us, a sore point in our history I’m afraid.  We also had an alliance with the Namikaze clan, but that fell through when one of the former Uchiha clan heads killed their clan head in an uh, argument.”  Izuna laughed.  </p><p>Sakura blinked.  “Murdered?  Over an argument?”</p><p>“Well, it was different back then and the argument was over a, uh woman but…”  Izuna didn’t wish to give her the wrong idea about their clan.  The Uchiha had always been known for their ruthlessness and had been feared for generations for their skill, intelligence and power but he didn’t want Sakura to fear them, him...none of what he was saying should be a surprise to her though.  Izuna lifted her chin in his hands, his thumb ghosting over her bottom lip.</p><p>“We protect what is ours, you should know that by now Sakura.”  He watched her, no she wasn’t surprised.  “When we love someone, we will do anything to ensure their happiness, their safety.  Some people back then, even now considered us, the Uchiha males to be possessive, controlling and cruel but...I don’t think that is the case.”  He let go of her chin.</p><p>“I see nothing wrong with protecting what is mine.”  He said quietly, his eyes dropping to their hands, to their fingers twined together, binding them to one another.  “Do you?”  He caught her eyes with his again, and waited.</p><p>“No.”  Sakura licked her lips a bit nervously.  She had always considered Sasuke to be rather intense, Madara even more so, but the way Izuna was looking at her, the way his eyes were fixed on hers was more intense than anything she had ever seen or felt before.  Was this what Ino meant when she told Sakura that one day she would find a man that could see nothing but her?</p><p>Sakura had always told Ino that she knew Sasuke loved her but had never felt like she was very important to him.  She had complained that he seemed to put everything else before her, particularly his own needs and desires.</p><p>That’s when Ino had looked at her with pity in her beautiful blue eyes, had cocked her head to the left and told her, “One day girl, a guy is going to look at you in a way that says there is nothing else in his world...but you and you’ll know.  You’ll feel the difference right then and there between the way Sauce boy looks at you and the way that someone else looks at you, right down to your toes.”  Ino had flipped her hair over her shoulder and smirked.  </p><p>“That’s when you’ll know what real love is, Sakura.”  Ino had told her confidently.</p><p>Izuna continued to look at her, his dark eyes focused and unwavering.  She knew, this was it, the look Ino had been referring to and her heart skipped in her chest.  Izuna...he…</p><p>“Are you mine Sakura?”  He asked her quietly, his voice low to keep it from trembling.  “Are you mine to...protect?”  </p><p>“I…”  She didn’t know what to say.  He wasn’t some guy she had met...at the park or some friend of a friend. He was Izuna, her friend since she was six years old, Izuna the Clan Head of the Uchiha…  “What if...it doesn’t work out between us Izuna?”</p><p>“What if it does?”  He countered easily squeezing her fingers in his larger hand.</p><p>“Before yesterday izuna I only thought of you as...a friend.  This morning though…”  She bit her bottom lip in between her teeth.</p><p>“This morning was special to me.”  He told her honestly.  “Was it special to you Sakura?”</p><p>“Yes.”  She didn’t even have to think about it.  “Of course it was special to me.  You don’t think I would just, just...do that with anyone do you?”  She asked him slightly worried.</p><p>“Of course not Sakura.  It was special because we are friends and have been for a long time.  What started out as a need for comfort grew into something more and...I don’t want to let it go, whatever it is.”  He pulled her onto his lap and hugged her close.  </p><p>“Please, can we just see where it goes, for now?  I know I’m the head of the family now but...with you, I can just be me, just be Izuna and I really, really want that, if you do.”  He would let her choose.  </p><p>He wouldn’t pressure her.  He wouldn’t tell her that he couldn’t stop thinking of her, that he needed her desperately, that he felt incomplete without her, that he had, in the short time they had become more intimate, come to rely on her stability and strength...and that if she said she didn’t want to pursue a romantic relationship with her...that he would fall apart.</p><p>“Okay.”  Sakura closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing the top of his head.</p><p>She felt the air wheeze out of her lungs as his grip on her tightened almost painfully.</p><p>“Izuna.”  She gasped.</p><p>“I'm sorry.”  He let go of her barely.  “I’m sorry I just, thank you.  I promise you won’t regret it.”</p><p>“You might come to regret it.”  She laughed a bit, nervous of this talk.  “I’m not the easiest person to get along with.”</p><p>“You’re perfect.”  He smiled at her, kissed the edge of her lips and then smiled again.  “...and mine.”</p><p>“Yours.”  Sakura tried the word out on her tongue and found it palatable.  “I’m yours.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Prepare yourself...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He was grateful, his heart was full when just yesterday it had felt so empty...he was annoyed...someone was knocking on Sakura’s door.</p><p>“I’ll get it, you stay there, try not to move your ankle.”  Izuna kissed her cheek, lifted her legs gently and pulled her arms from around his neck.  </p><p>“Were you expecting anyone, Sakura?”  He asked as he opened her front door to reveal Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha.</p><p>“Uh, no but the more the merrier I suppose.”  Sakura smiled at Kakashi and Obito waving them into her apartment.</p><p>“Uchiha.”  Kakashi bowed respectfully to Izuna who bowed back.</p><p>“Uchiha Sama.”  Obito bowed a bit lower than Kakashi had, as was fitting to his position in the family ranks.  </p><p>“I hope we are not intruding, we did not expect to see you here.  Kakashi told me that...Hashirama Senju had stopped by the dojo this morning and had left with Sakura.  We came to make sure she got home safely.”  Obito explained his presence as well as Kakashi’s at Sakura’s front door unannounced.</p><p>“Ah, thank you for watching out for her.  I heard from Itachi that she was having lunch with the Senju but I admit, I did not know they had met at Hatake’s dojo earlier.”  Izuna gave Sakura a mildly annoyed look.</p><p>“I didn’t have time to tell you in um...while we were talking about our uh...relationship.”  She averted her eyes, still a bit shy at the newness of their intimacy.</p><p>“Relationship?”  Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the new Uchiha clan head.  He didn’t care who he was, if he hurt her…</p><p>“Relationship.”  Izuna nodded, emphasizing the words.  “Not a casual relationship either I might add so stop glaring at me will you Kakashi?”  Izuna sighed, it had been a long day and it wasn’t even 5pm yet.</p><p>“After what happened in my dojo this morning I’m a little on edge.  Pardon.”  Kakashi inclined his head, making Izuna nod in response.</p><p>“Why don’t one of you tell me what happened this morning then, since I obviously don’t know.  It must be important for you two to come over to check on her.”  Izuna lifted Sakura’s legs up and over his lap, setting her injured ankle down more gently than the other.</p><p>“What happened to your ankle?”  Kakashi demanded, noticing that her ankle was wrapped as Izuna settled her legs over his.  “If that long haired hippie hurt you I swear I’ll…”</p><p>“Easy killer.”  Sakura waved her hands through the air trying to calm Kakashi down.  “I uh fell wrong, well...dropped down a bit farther from my balcony than I thought and sprain it.  Hashirama wrapped it for me when we were at his loft, for lunch.  It was an accident, on my part, a misjudgement of um distance if you will”</p><p>Obito growled and Kakashi snorted.</p><p>“Wait.”  Izuna interjected carefully.  “Why were you...jumping off your balcony?”</p><p>“Well, I didn't jump off so much as I dropped down from it after I hung over the side to um...lessen the dropping distance?”  Sakura’s face flushed red with embarrassment.  </p><p>“That’s how I met Tobirama Senju, quite by accident I assure you.”  She assured them...all three of them...as they glared at her, through her into the distance…</p><p>“Right.  Which you were doing because?”  Izuna asked before the other two could.</p><p>“Sasuke was here, at my apartment after I left the dojo.  I came home to shower before meeting Hashirama at the pub by the Naka River.  We hadn’t originally planned on going to his loft, we went because my ankle was hurt and…”  This was so embarrassing.  </p><p>“I originally cancelled lunch, fed up with Sasuke and his need to humiliate me further, I just started walking away.  I told Hashirama we could have lunch another time but...he sent his brother Tobirama to get rid of Sasuke and well, his loft wasn’t that far from the pub and my ankle was starting to really hurt so I accepted his offer to go back to his home with him so he could wrap it for me.”</p><p>She paused.  “We were already there, so we had lunch.  It wasn’t a big deal until um...after lunch.”</p><p>“What happened after lunch?”  Obito demanded before Izuna could, shrinking back from the annoyed look that was shot in his direction from his clan head.</p><p>“He wouldn’t let me call a cab and I couldn’t walk home on my ankle, so he brought me home on his motorcycle.”  She shivered, remembering the vibrations that hurt her ankle and the wind that had ripped at her clothes.  “I know we couldn’t have been going that fast but it was horrible.  I was terrified.”</p><p>Kakashi laughed out loud.  “I wish I could have seen that.”  He was more amused than angry.  Sakura had always been terrified of motorcycles since she had been little.  How the man had gotten her on the back of his, he would have liked to know.  Was it out of awkward obligation or had her ankle really hurt that bad?</p><p>“He shouldn’t have taken his bike if she was that petrified of it.”  Obito said to the others present.   “Did you tell him you didn’t want to ride that death trap?”  Obito demanded again.  “Why didn’t you tell him to take his truck?”</p><p>“He told me he didn’t…”  She paused, rethinking her conversation with Hashirama.   Hashirama hadn’t told her he didn’t have a car or a truck only that...he said he ought to have said motorcycle instead of car…  “I assumed he didn’t have another vehicle.”</p><p>“He does.  A truck.”  Izuna pet her hair out of his face, his eyes connecting with Obito.  A silent agreement was made, a command from his clan head was given.  Obito nodded.</p><p>“Well, don’t worry about Monday Sakura.  If your ankle is feeling better and you decide to go into work, I’ll give you a lift okay?”  Obito’s voice was calm, casual and completely lacking the hostility and demand it had just moments ago.</p><p>Sakura blinked.  “Oh, well okay, that would be nice of you Obito.  I usually walk but...even if my ankle is feeling better it might be a good idea for me to get a ride in.”  She admitted with a smile.</p><p>“...and a ride home.”  Obito clarified, to avoid any confusion.  “I’ll bring you lunch too, so you don’t have to order out or walk to the first floor to receive it.”</p><p>Sakura blinked again.  “I don’t want to trouble you Obito, surely you have other things to do than to…”</p><p>“Let him, besides, he’s my driver.  I have a meeting Monday morning to go over a few family matters but that’s it.  Wednesday I am meeting the clan elders, I will need Obito Wednesday, but on Monday, he’s all yours love.”  Izuna bent his head and kissed her gently, not caring if Hatake and Obito were sitting in front of them on the other couch watching, let them watch, let them spread the word, he and Sakura...were now a couple.  Let them see first hand how much he cared for her.</p><p>Kakashi watched Izuna kiss Sakura.  He was conflicted.  He never had a problem with Sasuke dating Sakura, because like everyone else, he knew she would never marry him.  Izuna however, was a rather good match for her but wasn’t it too soon after her break up with Sasuke to start dating someone new, and not just anyone but his...Uncle?</p><p>Was it really any of his business?  Protecting her from Hashirama and his idiocracy and overconfidence in his ‘Abilities’ was one thing but...Izuna was, not Hashirama.</p><p>Obito sat on the couch, eyes averted.  He knew like Itachi how Madara had felt about the girl but he never knew Izuna had....had feelings for her.  Unless, this was, new?  It had to be.  If Izuna knew how his brother felt...would he still have pursued the girl or would he...is that why he was with her now, to protect her.  Had Madara told him to watch out for her before he had died?  As Izuna’s girlfriend Sakura would be allowed much more security than just a friend of the family even if she was considered a clan member, unofficially.  Had the brothers planned this?</p><p>Maybe...Izuna was Madara’s brother, was privy to his thoughts and desires but...  Then again, Obito warred with his thoughts, Madara had trusted him more than he had trusted their sister Mikoto but...Madara had also trusted Itachi, more than Izuna.  </p><p>Obito cleared his throat.  “Itachi expressed a desire to visit you as well Sakura.  He and Shisui made mention they would be coming over for dinner later.”</p><p>Izuna looked up at the same time as Sakura.  “Did he…”</p><p>“...but why would…”  Sakura began.</p><p>“...because Sasuke told him you were having lunch with Hashirama Senju of course.”  Kakashi interrupted her.  </p><p>“Sasuke…”  Sakura growled, then paused.  “Oh crap.”  She looked back at Izuna.</p><p>“What will Sasuke say when he hears about...us?”  She asked him nervously.</p><p>“What can he say?”  Izuna raised his brows at her.  “He broke up with you because you told him you weren’t ready to get married.  You were single, and now you’re not.”  He kissed the top of her head.</p><p>“Don’t worry about Sasuke Love, I’ll have a small talk with him when I get back to the manor house.”  He told her.</p><p>“Maybe I should be the one to tell him.”  She didn’t want to hurt him, Sasuke was still important to her, even if things hadn’t worked out between them, she didn’t want to be vindictive or cruel.  She might not love him the way she used to but she still cared about him.</p><p>“No, it should come from me.  This way he will understand his place in your life without question.”  Izuna insisted.</p><p>“Let him speak to Sasuke Sakura.  He’s right, it would be better if it came from his Clan head than you.”  Obito nodded to Izuna.</p><p>“Okay.”  Sakura frowned a bit.  She still wasn’t convinced this was the best way to handle things but she knew from years of experience with their clan that some things...were best handled, internally.  “I understand.”</p><p>“Thank you Sakura.”  Izuna smiled, pleased with her compliance.</p><p>“Well, it looks like you’re in good hands.”  Kakashi rose to his feet.  “You’ve warned her?”</p><p>“I was about to before you got here.”  Izuna looked at Hatake pointedly.</p><p>“We’ll leave you to it.  Remember Shisui and Itachi will be stopping by later as well with dinner.”  Obito rose to stand beside Kakashi.  “Sakura, I know that you’ve been around us for a long time.  When Izuna Sama tells you...what happened to Rin, keep that in mind.  You trust us and we trust you.  There is a reason Lord Madara never let that man see you, there is a reason we worked so hard to keep you safe.”</p><p>Sakura looked from Obito to Kakashi.  “Kept me safe?”  She didn’t understand.</p><p>“You didn’t tell her?  She never knew?”  Obito looked shocked.</p><p>“No.”  Izuna had wanted to tell her, had wanted to explain the lengths his brother had gone to protect her and why.  “I was going to tell her.  I will tell her now, if you’d leave.”</p><p>“We’re going.”  Kakashi pat Sakura on the head once and smiled.  “I never liked you with Sasuke but...Izuna, might do.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?”  Izuna glared at the Hatake.</p><p>“It means, don’t fuck this up or I’ll fucking murder you, Clan Head or not.”  Kakashi said without heat or fear.  “I told the Senju the same damn thing.”</p><p>Izuna blinked, then laughed.  “I would have liked to have seen that Hatake.”</p><p>“Hopefully after your little conversation, she won’t see fit to spend her time with him anymore and we won’t have to worry about it.”  Kakashi said to Izuna but he was watching Sakura.  It was clear to him that she still didn’t understand, but she would, he only hoped she wouldn’t...freak out when Izuna told her what had happened to Rin.</p><p>“Sakura. Just remember, you’re safe.  It isn’t like what happened with Rin, we’ve all...we’re all here for you and have been for a very long time ever since Lord Madara…”  Obito shook his head. At his friend.</p><p>“Let Izuna Sama tell her.  She’ll understand.  Let her have the warning, Rin never had.”  Obito ducked his head to Sakura.  “Don’t worry Sakura and know that...we did everything we could but…”  He choked.</p><p>“It’s okay Obito.  I give you my word, nothing like that will happen to another one of our loved ones, not while I’m clan head, now get out of here so I can tell her.”  Izuna motioned to the front door with his head gracefully.</p><p>“We’re going.”  Obito grabbed Kakashi by the arm and pulled him toward the door.  “Wanna lock this?”  He needed to leave before he humiliated himself in front of Sakura and broke down before Izuna.  Even though they would understand, even though they wouldn’t think less of him...he couldn’t let them see him break, not again.  It had been years, nearly a decade since Rin had been...taken but for him, it felt like...yesterday.</p><p>It was a pain, a scar, a forever open wound that simply never healed and he wasn’t sure if he ever wanted it to because if it did, it would mean that he...had gotten over her, over the loss, over her...passing...and he would never allow that to happen.  Rin would stay alive, in him, forever.</p><p>Izuna picked Sakura’s legs up off of his and locked the door after Kakashi and Obito, leaning back against it, his eyes on Sakura.  She looked...distraught.</p><p>He sighed.</p><p>“Do you remember Rin Sakura, from when you and Sasuke and Naruto were in Jr. High?”  He watched her shake her head, he hadn’t thought so.  He had forgotten the last two days...that he was ten years her senior.</p><p>“Rin and Obito were high school sweethearts, and were about to get married when she took an internship at Konoha hospital under Hashirama Senju at the peak of his...fame.”  Izuna sat down on the couch, only this time, he didn’t lift her legs back up onto his lap.  He elected to sit beside her still but back farther so he could watch her body language and her eyes.  Her reactions.</p><p>“Rin’s internship went well.  She and Hashirama got along great, she was a sweet girl, she had such a bright future ahead of her.”  Izuna looked down at his hands.  “She wasn’t an Uchiha and unlike you, she wasn’t considered part of the family, she wasn’t under our protection.”  He explained.</p><p>“So, no one knew how close she and Hashirama had gotten until...it was too late.”  Izuna took a deep breath.  “A year after she had taken the internship with Hashirama, he invited her to a particular gambling event.”</p><p>“She had gone with him before on his gambling benges and thought this one was like the others only, it wasn’t.  At this auction, they didn’t gamble money.”  Izuna watched the look of confusion pass over Sakura’s face.  She had no idea where this was going.  He almost, almost decided it didn’t matter, that she was so well protected that it would never happen to her but...if there was a chance at all, he had to...and the simple fact that she had met the man...meant that there was a chance.  He had to tell her.</p><p>“They gambled, women.”  Izuna forced the words from his mouth.  “Pretty women.”</p><p>“...women?”  Sakura didn’t understand.  “...but.”</p><p>“He lost.”  Izuna told her.  “He lost for the first time in his life.  He lost Rin in a bet, at a sex slave auction and gambling house.”</p><p>“What?”  Sakura choked.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>...clearly I lied and was unable to stay away from this fic.  I started to type out a few ideas for the next chapter, you know a line or two of dialogue and before I knew it...two chapters later.</p><p>Don't count on it but uh, there may or may not be another chapter tomorrow.</p><p>I only have a few lines down, but you see what happened last time I did that.</p><p>Also, I am sad to say I haven't gotten more than one paragraph into the prequel for Tenacity because well, you know lol</p><p>Soon...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura thought she had heard him incorrectly at first but the look on his face...she had heard him correctly.  ...but gambling women, sex slaves and auctioning off...Hashirama, her mentor’s...cousin?</p><p>“Obito looked for her for days.  Tracked down every single lead wearing himself to near exhaustion.”  Izuna reached out for her unresisting hand and pulled her toward him, resting her head on his shoulder.  “Finally out of sheer desperation and madness, Obito prostrated himself in front of Madara, told him what Rin had been able to text him before...Obito could only speculate on what had happened after he hadn’t gotten any more messages from her...and he begged Madara for his help.”</p><p>She was almost too frightened to ask, she knew Madara, like most people but also...like most people didn’t and she knew what he would have done if anyone had even thought to…she understood now...why she had been watched.  ”Oh.”</p><p>“What did he do?”  She asked.</p><p>“Madara sent Itachi to find the woman.”  Izuna said quietly.</p><p>Itachi.  She understood, at least...she thought she did until...</p><p>“Did he...find her?”  Sakura’s voice shook and broke with disgust.</p><p>“Yes.”  Izuna almost whispered.  “...but it was too late.”</p><p>She didn’t want to ask but the morbid curiosity had been building up inside of her while Izuna had talked, she felt gross, unclean and disgusted with herself for even wanting to know, for being so curious and for asking… “What happened, how was it too late, you mean she was...raped?”</p><p>“No, far worse.  Her body wasn’t...even recognizable when...Itachi found her.”  Izuna shuddered at the memory.  “She had been sold after the gambling winner had taken her from Hashirama, to a man named...Orochimaru.”</p><p>Sakura gasped.  She had heard of Orochimaru before.  In the medical field…his name was spoken with either reverence or fear.  He was known for his cruel human experimentation and…  “...I had heard that...Orochimaru died.  Ten years ago.  Mysteriously..”</p><p>She didn’t want to know but she had to, she had to know.  Itachi...</p><p>Izuna nodded his head.  “Yeah.  Itachi killed him.”</p><p>“Oh.”  Sakura didn’t know what to say.  “Good.”</p><p>They sat there side by side for quite some time, neither wishing to speak again so soon after...that revelation.</p><p>“Did Itachi uh, does he...I know he worked closely with Madara and was considered one of his confidants but...does he, did he, do things like that often?  For the family?”  She asked Izuna.</p><p>“Madara never gave him the order to kill whomever he found Rin to be with, but Itachi...has a soft spot for women and he liked Rin.  They were...friends.”  Izuna told her the truth.  He had decided before starting this conversation, he wouldn’t hold anything back from her.  He would tell her everything and anything she needed or wanted to know.  “She was older than him of course and he kinda looked up to her, like an older sister.  I can only imagine what he must have felt when he found her...saw what that monster had, done to her.”</p><p>“Rin had always been such a sweet girl, thoughtful...like you.”  Izuna watched her eyes waver.</p><p>“Oh.”  Sakura was yet again at a loss for words.  Izuna hadn’t really answered her question though.  Was that on purpose?</p><p>Itachi had always been so calm and quiet...so gentle with her that she couldn’t even imagine him...killing anyone and yet...there had been times she had seen the steel in his eyes, that unwavering strength that comes from pain and suffering...conviction.</p><p>... if someone had done something like that, something so evil and foul to her, she knew, deep down...Itachi wouldn’t hesitate to hurt them, to make them suffer and if she was honest with herself...she knew, deep, deep down, he would kill them for her.</p><p>More than Sasuke, Itachi had always been there for her, like a strong silent sentinel, always watching, always there for her when she needed him above all others.  </p><p>Ino used to tease her in Jr. High.  One day they had come out of school to find Itachi standing there by the fence.  They had thought he was there to walk Sasuke home but, he hadn’t walked Sasuke home since elementary school.</p><p>They had nodded to him, waved a silent greeting, and walked past him, thinking he was only there for Sasuke but he had fallen into step behind them...and had followed them home.  </p><p>Looking behind them, Ino had giggled and blushed, whispering all things that girls do when they see an older cute boy, but Sakura had thought nothing of it, she was used to the Uchiha by then and their strange little quirks.</p><p>It wasn’t until the next day she realized it wasn’t a whim or coincidence.  He was there, again, in the same spot.  Waiting for her to get out of school.  Again he walked behind them, not joining in their conversation when beckoned forward by Ino.  He just walked behind them, silently, watching.</p><p>Sakura realized, just now, why he had done that so many years ago.  Rin.</p><p>It must have been after…”...but he was only...sixteen!”  She clapped her hands over her mouth.</p><p>“What?  Who was only sixteen?”  Izuna asked, not knowing her thoughts.</p><p>“Itachi was only sixteen when he killed that man, that man Orochimaru.”  Sakura felt sick.  This was too much, all of it was just...overwhelming and…”I think I’m going to be sick.”</p><p>Izuna watched Sakura catch her breath in sympathy.  Honestly, he thought she was taking it rather well, admittedly...she had taken it better than he had when Madara had told him, she was much stronger than he thought.  He was proud of her.  </p><p>“After Itachi found her and...took care of the man Orochimaru, did he...did he…”  Sakura closed her eyes.  “Did he bring her home to Obito?”</p><p>Poor Obito, poor Kakashi...she had always known, all of them had, her, Naruto and Sasuke had always known something had happened to one of their friends when they were younger but she never would have imagined, she never could have guessed that it would have been something so horrible.</p><p>“What was left of her, yes.”  Izuna said quietly, holding onto her as she shuddered in his arms.  “We buried her, the clan.  Rin, she didn’t have any family that we knew of.  She only had Kakashi and Obito.”</p><p>“How sad.”  Sakura sniffed.  “Poor Obito.  They were going to get married, she was going to have the family that she didn’t have, with him.  It’s so unfair and...Hashirama…”</p><p>Izuna watched the myriad of emotion ghost over her features.  She didn’t know how to feel he surmised.  She was trying to place the image of the man in the park with the image of a man that would gamble away the life of a young woman under his leadership, a young woman like her.</p><p>“You said Madara forgave him?”  She couldn’t believe it.  “How could Madara forgive him for something like that?”  She choked.</p><p>“The Madara I knew would never, never forgive something so heinous and despicable.”  Sakura almost snarled.</p><p>So, Izuna thought to himself as her shoulders shook under his arms, she chose anger.</p><p>“The Madara you knew, is not the Madara Hashirama knew.  They had been best friends since they were kids, Sakura.  There were too many deals, too many lives tied up between the clans to...jeopardize it for...one dead girl.”  Izuna tried to explain to her.</p><p>“One dead girl?”  Sakura pulled away from Izuna, disgust written all over her face.  “One dead girl?!”  She glared at him, pushing off of him.</p><p>“Sakura.”  Izuna let her go, he knew she needed time to understand, it was a shock, she was still processing it.  “Rin was dead, Orochimaru was dead.  Itachi avenged the wrong that had been done to her by killing the man who had done it.  We couldn’t bring her back to life but there were other lives at stake, families that relied on our alliance with the Senju, our friendship with the clan Sakura.  Try to understand.  Madara forgave Hashirama not out of love but obligation, to the clan.”</p><p>Sakura sat on the other end of the couch in silence.  ‘Obligation to the clan’, she understood.  She didn’t agree with it but she understood.  The clan head had to make those kinds of decisions, it was...his duty to protect the clan, not the individual and Rin...had never been considered part of the clan, not like…</p><p>“Is that why?  Is that why Madara always told me, called me ‘His little Sakura’, at functions, at family get togethers and at public events?  He was telling the clan, the world that…”  She understood something then, that she should have understood a long time ago.</p><p>“Yes.”  Izuna didn’t smile, but sighed a tired sigh.  “He was telling us, everyone, that you belonged to the Uchiha and were...protected by us.  That you weren’t to be touched.”</p><p>“...and that’s why he kept me a secret from Hashirama,but you said it was an accident, that Madara said it had been an accident and that’s why he didn’t blame Hashirama, that’s why he forgave him.”  She protested.</p><p>Izuna ran his fingers through his hair and pulled his ponytail loose from his head.  “Hashirama is, well you’ve met the man.  He’s an idiot and doesn’t think.  He is a brilliant surgeon, can work miracles in the operating room and is a very, very skilled MA, but...he’s also naive and he was over confident.”  Izuna explained.</p><p>“Madara told me, later, after Rin was buried that he knew in his heart that Hashirama had thought he would win the bet, that he never would have gambled with Rin’s life if he thought he would lose.  Madara told me...that he was trying to save the other woman, the woman that was up for grabs on the...platform and offered Rin up against her.”  Izuna felt sick, as sick as he had when his brother had first told him what had happened, told him what Hashirama had told him.</p><p>“He was trying to help the other woman, but lost.  Lost Rin.”  Izuna said.</p><p>“Tobirama was the one to come to the manor the next morning.  It was Hashirama’s brother that told Madara what had happened because Hashirama had passed out from drinking himself stupid with guilt.”  </p><p>“Madara had left the estate immediately and had gone back to their house, to the main house of the Senju with Tobirama, only to find, to find Hashirama on the ground in the main compound, near death...bleeding out.”</p><p>“He had...tried to commit suicide for his shame, for what he had done to Rin.  He had been drunk though and had...missed his heart.”  Izuna pulled his hair back into a low ponytail again and looked at Sakura.  “Madara saved him.  Staunched his bleeding and carried him into the Senju main house himself, called Tsunade and...sat beside him until he recovered.”</p><p>“That’s when Hashirama told Madara everything from the very beginning to the end.”  </p><p>“Their friendship had never been the same after that.  I think my brother felt that the guilt was genuine, the suicide sincere and the suffering...was well deserved.  He wanted Hashirama to live...to live with the shame and the knowledge of what he had done, knowing he had not only ruined Rin’s life but Obito’s, Kakashi’s and...their friendship.”</p><p>“Like I said, their friendship was never the same after that.  Madara no longer trusted Hashirama and...it weighed heavily on both clans.”  Izuna paused then.  “It wasn’t until you came to him, to Madara telling him you had accepted an internship under Tsunade Senju that Madara had reached out to Hashirama again, like an old friend.”</p><p>“...but.”  Sakura began.</p><p>Izuna smiled.  “You know the phrase Sakura.  Keep your friend’s close, but your enemies closer.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>...tell me~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hashirama pushed the door to the top floor office open.  His office.  Tsunade had been in surgery when he had called on her assistant Shizune.  He left a message with the woman, to have Tsunade come up to his office once she was done in the OR.  </p><p>Tired and worn out from the run he had gone on after returning to his loft, he sat down heavily in his plush leather chair, and looked around his office.  </p><p>Meaningless.  It was all meaningless.  </p><p>The office, his title, his money...the fame and the spotlight.  None of it meant anything to him because...he was alone and always would be...he didn’t deserve to have anyone.</p><p>Izuna reminded him of that today.  Hatake, likewise, had reminded him of the heavy burden he carried, the sin of his past...mistake.</p><p>Rin.</p><p>Izuna will have told Sakura by now.  She’ll know what kind of a fool he was, what a horrible person he was and how he...might as well have killed Rin with his own hands.</p><p>He let his head fall onto his desk with a loud thump.  </p><p>Izuna...had looked at him exactly the way Madara had looked at him that day.  True, he had tried to hide it quickly, but Hashirama had seen it, the loathing, the disgust in the man’s eyes, the protective way he had taken Sakura’s hand and pulled her away from him...it was over.  </p><p>He would never see her again.  He knew he didn’t deserve to see her again.  It had been a selfish dream.  He half expected to see her resignation letter on his desk when he had walked in.</p><p>It was only a matter of time.  Izuna would make her resign.  Madara would have...</p><p>After returning to his loft he had gone for a run, to think, to feel the burning pain of strain and exhaustion in his muscles, to feel alive.  A small reprevive.  A bitter taste of how Sakura had made him feel, for a very small brief moment...again.</p><p>He hadn’t wanted to stay in his apartment with the remnants of his and Sakura’s lunch surrounding him.  Her chopsticks on his counter, her lipstick marked glass in his sink.  He groaned out loud.  He deserved this.  He deserved to find someone like her and to have her find out from...it was his sin, he deserved her disgust and...rejection.</p><p>There hadn’t been anyone, any one since Rin who had...made him feel the way Sakura had.  </p><p>He hadn’t known Rin and Obito were engaged.  She hadn’t told him.  He had fallen in love with her during her year long internship and had proposed the night before he had lost her...that’s when she had told him that...she was already engaged to Obito Uchiha.</p><p>She had never worn a ring...he had never asked...she had never said no to his touch and...and now she was dead.</p><p>Madara...had been the only one who had known how he had felt about Rin.  Tobirama, his own brother didn’t even know to this day that he had...loved her, had asked her to marry him and what he had lost when he had, lost her.</p><p>He had been so sure.  He never thought once that he would lose her.  If he had known, if he had...he never would have made that bet if he had known he would lose.</p><p>It was the only bet he had ever lost in his life.  Even now, he looked down at the paper on his desk where Toka had circled the results of the races last week.  </p><p>He had won fifty thousand dollars.  He had always had the best of luck, always.  Except for when it had really lattered.</p><p>Meaningless money.</p><p>He was empty inside.</p><p>Pointless, his existence was pointless.</p><p>He had offered to buy Rin back from Orochimaru, 3 million dollars, but...the blasted snake had declined and...had slithered away before he could summon help and...he hadn’t even been the one to find her.  Itachi had.</p><p>Itachi…</p><p>Madara had stopped the boy from...coming after him, from killing him next, after Orochimaru.</p><p>Madara should have let Itachi kill him.  He wouldn’t have resisted but that wasn’t what Madara had wanted...</p><p>“Why did you even bother saving me that day Madara?”  Hashirama spoke to the hard surface of his polished oak desk.  “I wasn’t worth it.  I’m not worth it now.  I’ll never see her again, watch, just like Rin, I’ll lose her.  Sakura won’t want to have anything to do with me after Izuna tells her what I did.”</p><p>The door to his office slammed shut, jolting him to awareness.  “Tsuna.  Didn’t see you there.”</p><p>“Did you just say Sakura?  How the hell do you know that name?”  Tsunade Senju stood before her cousin, her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed at Hashirama.  “Have you been snooping through the personnel files again Hashirama?  How do you know Sakura? I haven’t introduced her to you yet.  In fact I was glad you came in today.  I was going to talk to you about her.  I started her while you were out on your ‘Leave’ so she could get her feet wet but if you already know her…”  Tunade waved her hand through the air dismissing her thought.</p><p>“Shit.”  Hashirama blinked nervously, what the hell would Tsuna say.  “We met in the park by accident.  I only recently found out who she was, is.”</p><p>“Hum.”  Tsunade pulled the chair out in front of his desk and sat down heavily, crossing her arms over her chest, something had happened she could tell.  “You look like shit Hashi, what happened?  Tell me.”</p><p>He did.  </p><p>Hashirama told her about how he and Sakura had met in the park and how they had lunch together, how he had Ino take her dinner that evening and how they had met again the following day.  About their silly agreement not to tell one another anything about themselves and how their ‘Cover’ had been blown by Sasuke Uchiha.</p><p>Tsunade smirked.  “That’s why she was going to the park, that’s why she didn’t want to have lunch with me...because of you.”</p><p>“Well, maybe.”  Hashirama rubbed the back of his head thoughtfully.  “We had lunch today at my loft and…”</p><p>“Your loft?”  Tsunade narrowed her eyes at her cousin.  “You invited her to your home?  Hashi, Sakura isn’t like those tramps you call dates, sleep with them then find a new one.”  Tsunade growled.</p><p>“Sakura is…”  </p><p>Hashirama interrupted Tsunade.</p><p>“She’s special, I know Tsuna, but you don’t have to worry.  I don’t think the new Uchiha clan head will allow her to see me again.”  Hashirama sat back in his chair, despondent.</p><p>“Let her?”  Tsunade laughed out loud.  “You don’t know Sakura very well, and if the ‘New’ Uchiha clan head thinks he can stop Sakura from speaking to or seeing who she wants, he has another thing coming to him.”</p><p>Tsunade drummed her polished nails against the wood grain of Hashirama’s desk, a smirk spreading across her face.  “I’d love to hear my girl when Izuna Uchiha tries to ‘Forbid’ her from seeing you.”  The blonde laughed out loud again slapping her hand against the smooth surface of the desk, honey colored eyes sparkling with amusement.</p><p>“You’re not mad?”  Hashirama asked his cousin warily.</p><p>“Mad?  At you?”  Tsunade pursed her lips.  “Why would I be mad at you Hashi?”</p><p>It was a baited question and they both knew it.  Tsunade sighed.</p><p>“Well, for Sakura.”  Hashirama began but Tsunade raised her hand in front of his face to quiet him.</p><p>“It’s in the past.  I doubt you would make the same mistake twice.”  She said quietly.  “I know that many still blame you but...I don’t.  You’ve suffered, still are as far as I can see.  Don’t get me wrong Hashi...I may not blame you but I haven’t forgotten, much like you.  You’ll never forget.  That’s why you’re still alive isn’t it, your best friend, your buddy Madara...let the punishment fit the crime hum?”</p><p>Shrewd honey eyes took in her cousin’s pulse, his body language and nodded, as though coming to some private conclusion.</p><p>“Sakura isn’t a fool.  She isn’t as gullible or as naive as Rin was, kami rest her soul.  It isn’t the same.”  Tsunade rose from her seat and stepped back, pushing the chair back in.  “Besides, after what happened with Rin, the Uchiha won’t be letting Sakura out of their sight.  Even if you don’t see them, they see you, but ’m not telling you anything you don’t know.”</p><p>“So, Sakura, she knows that the Uchiha...follow her, because she acted like…”  Hashirama frowned in confusion.</p><p>“Of course not and I won’t be the one to tell her either.  Of course…”  She tapped her finger against her lips.  “She’s been part of their family for so long I would have thought she would have caught on by now, I mean really, they follow her to and from work everyday and that Itachi brat, watches her almost religiously.”</p><p>“Itachi?”  Hashirama groaned, of course it would be Itachi.  Which meant...he already knew.  “Shit.”</p><p>“Madara protected her like a daughter you know, or like a lover.  He never invited you to functions that the girl attended.”  Tsunade walked out of Hashirama’s office leaving him to his own thoughts and demons.</p><p>Hashirama pulled his cell phone out of his pocket to check his phone for any missed calls or text messages.  He had slipped his number into her pocket when they had stopped at the red light.  Her eyes had been squeezed closed, she hadn’t even felt him slide the small card into her pocket.  Maybe she hadn’t found it yet, he tried to tell himself...not that she had found it and thrown it away.</p><p>He had met her in the park only two days ago, had only had lunch with her twice but there was something about Sakura, that just wouldn’t let him walk away from her, not without trying.  If Tsunade could understand...maybe Sakura would at least listen to his side of the story...if, if she gave him the chance to tell his side of the story that is.</p><p>Maybe after thinking about it some more he would have an idea of how to approach her at least.  Maybe he was fooling himself again, hoping for something that wasn’t there and never would be...again.</p><p>Itachi balanced the two take out bags of food in his left arm as he tried to unlock the door to his car with the other.  “Damn it.”  He cursed under his breath.  One of the bags was slipping.  Quickly, he brought his left knee up under the slipping bag and slid the key into the lock, turning it, catching the one bag and opening the door before it could fall completely from his grasp.</p><p>“You could have just asked me to hold a bag for you, you didn’t have to show off you know.”  Shisui’s amused voice came from behind as he casually opened one of the back doors to Itachi’s car and set the beer on the back seat.</p><p>“I thought you were going to get a bottle of wine.  Sakura doesn’t like beer.”  Itachi frowned at the 24pk of beer sitting on his back seat.</p><p>“I did.”  Shisui pulled a paper bag from inside his coat and set it beside the beer.</p><p>“Only one bottle?”  Itachi asked worried it wasn’t enough.</p><p>“Are you trying to get her drunk?”  Shisui winked at his cousin.</p><p>“No.”  Itachi looked into the back seat again and turned to Shisui.  “Go back into the store and get two more bottles.”</p><p>“What the hell for?  I was just joking before but now I’m not, are you trying to get her drunk?”  Shisui’s mouth hung open in surprise.</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous, of course not.”  Itachi packed the bags of food into the backseat with the beer and the one bottle of wine.  “I want her to have enough for when Ino visits her tomorrow.”</p><p>“How do you know Ino will visit her tomorrow?”  Shisui asked curiously.</p><p>“Ino always visits her on Saturday mornings.  Every Saturday for the last ten years.”  Itachi said as though it were completely normal to know these things about your friends and relatives.</p><p>“Uh, okay.”  Shisui headed back into the store to get two more bottles of wine.</p><p>Itachi picked up the bottle of wine Shisui had purchased, good it was Sakura’s favorite, just like he had told him.  Sakura would never admit it was her favorite wine because it was so expensive that she rarely bought it for herself, but Itachi knew...it was her favorite, because she had bought a bottle of it when she had graduated from college, when she and Sasuke had moved in together and when she had moved out again celebrating her first night in the apartment she lived in now.</p><p>He knew everything about her.  He had been her tail for the last ten years, on Madara Uchiha’s orders.</p><p>Itachi had never missed a day...except one day.  The day before his Uncle’s funeral.  The day Sakura had met Hashirama in the park...and the day of his funeral, when she had met him for lunch.</p><p>It didn’t mean he had left her unprotected, only, he hadn’t been tailing her personally.  He had asked Sasuke to watch her, knowing that his little brother was anxious about her movements since she had left their apartment.</p><p>He hadn’t counted on Sasuke getting so pissed off at their new clan head for spending the night with the woman that he lost his head and left her unprotected, but he should have...his mistake, one he wouldn’t make again.</p><p>Itachi decided in light of these new events, he wasn’t trusting Sakura’s safety to anyone but himself, not even Shisui...whom he would trust with his life, but not Sakura’s.  Lord Madara had given the mission to him, he would see it through, to the end.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Started a new story, going to try to write it from start to finish before posting.</p><p>I've never done that before.  I enjoy the comments that come in with a work in progress, it helps motivate and inspire me.  Other times, it brings me down and makes me not want to continue...depending on the comment.  So, I thought I would try something new, see if it helps or hinders the writing process not having that constant input from you guys! We'll see how it goes!</p><p>Updates for this fic might slow down a bit, but I will still update.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>When I said updates were going to slow down...I meant uh...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Izuna looked at his watch over Sakura’s head.  It was almost 7pm, Itachi and Shisui would be by soon with dinner no doubt.  He laid his arm back over Sakura’s back and kissed the top of her head.</p><p>He had told her everything he knew about what had happened with Rin.  She had fallen silent afterward, filtering the information through that logical brain of hers, most likely.  Like the rest of the Uchiha, he knew Sakura knew more about their family than most, he had assumed she knew what Itachi was, who he had been to Madara, but he had been wrong.  </p><p>The horror in her eyes when he told her what Madara had sent Itachi to do and what Itachi had done, told him she had no idea that Madara had trained the boy himself to be the family’s...guardian.</p><p>As much as he was sure Madara had told the woman, he was sure there were some very important things Madara had never told her.  Should he tell her, now that he was the clan leader or...surely there had been a reason his brother hadn’t told her certain things but...Izuna was conflicted.</p><p>He wanted to tell her everything but...as much as an Uchiha as she was, as the clan considered her to be, she wasn’t.  That’s why, he realized, Madara hadn’t told her Itachi’s true nature, his true purpose.  She hadn’t married into the clan yet.</p><p>Izuna ran his fingers gently through Sakura’s hair.  Yet.</p><p>“Sakura, you know I’d never let anything happen to you right?”  Izuna spoke into her hair, his nose gently brushing the hair from her cheek as he leaned forward, his arms around her shoulders, her head against his chest.</p><p>“You are not always with me.”  She said reasonably, not in argument but in fact.  “I can take care of myself, Izuna.”</p><p>Izuna knew she would say that.  He knew she could, having sparred with her several times, after several of her and Sasuke’s arguments.  </p><p>That wasn’t the point.  </p><p>“I have no doubt you can defend yourself in a hand to hand combat situation, Sakura.  I was not referring to a fair one on one fight.”  How could he explain what he had meant to her…</p><p>“Izuna…”  She began but he cut her off.</p><p>“Please, just listen.  I’m sorry but, I need to get this out.”  He didn’t want to argue with her but he had known her long enough to see where this was going.  “I care about you.  I’ve cared about you for many years now, but recently, since our relationship changed, deepened...I have this fear.”  He paused.</p><p>“It isn’t a new fear, not really, but a deeper fear, triggered by our new found intimacy I think.  I’m scared to lose you, that you’ll get hurt and I won’t know until it is too late.  You said I could be weak with you and...”  He didn’t want her to think he was going to try to control her.  He knew exactly how she would react to that.  Just as Madara had known.  “I’ll only ask that you...be more careful around Hashirama now, please.  Just remember everything I told you and...be wary.”</p><p>Sakura turned in his arms halfway and looked up into his eyes.  She hadn’t been expecting that.  She knew of course not all Uchiha were controlling, domineering bastards but...many of them were.  She had heard any number of complaints from women of the clan over the years, speaking to her or around her so that she had overheard them and their friends.  </p><p>This was unexpected.</p><p>“You’re not going to forbid me to speak to Hashirama?”  That’s what Madara would have done, she was sure of it.</p><p>“If I did, would you listen?”  Izuna was smiling, he knew she wouldn’t.</p><p>“No.”  She said truthfully.</p><p>“Exactly.”  Izuna was smug.</p><p>“If I said yes, would you?”  Sakura laughed.</p><p>“In a heartbeat, without hesitation but not because of the reason you think, no, but because I would keep you locked up, safe and sound, or by my side day in and day out with me, always, if I could.”  He pushed her chin up with his nose and kissed her mouth gently.  “Unfortunately, there are laws against such things.”</p><p>They laughed together, some of the tension from earlier dissapaiting.</p><p>“Sakura, I won’t tell you who you can speak to and who you can’t.  That’s not how this is going to work.  It’s not about control but affection.”  He told her honestly.  “You’re not some helpless flake of a woman, thank kami for that, but if you were, do you honestly think I would be interested in you?”</p><p>“No.”  Sakura knew Izuna was incredibly picky, always had been for as long as she had known him, all Uchiha were.  “You would get bored.  You could never be with someone you didn’t respect, and I don’t think you would be able to desire someone, who didn’t have your respect.”</p><p>She scooted further up into his lap and kissed the corner of his mouth playfully.  “Neither can I, or with someone who tried to control me.”</p><p>“There are different kinds of control you know.”  Izuna ran a finger tip over her lips, lightly, barely touching the sensitive skin.  “Some are more...pleasurable than others.”  He smirked.</p><p>“Izuna.”  She smiled.  “What are you suggesting?”  Her eyes sparkled, her tongue darted out between her semi parted lips to wet them, and it was his undoing.</p><p>“Bedroom.  I'll try to be gentle.”  He lifted her up into his arms and started walking toward her bedroom when there was a knock on her front door.</p><p>Sakura felt his arms tighten around her legs and back.  “I think Itachi and Shisui are here with dinner.”  She tried not to laugh, he was clearly pissed off at his younger cousin’s timing.  “Hungry?”</p><p>Izuna rolled his eyes and growled into her neck, nipping her gently then kissing her ear, making her laugh out loud.  “Not for food but I suppose we could always resume this, after they leave?”  Dark eyes full of desire locked onto her interested green.</p><p>“Deal.”  Sakura grinned, wrinkling her nose up playfully at him.  “Set me back on the couch?”</p><p>“Sure.”  Izuna set her back down on her couch, then went to open the door for interrupting cousin number one and two..</p><p>“What’s taking her so long to answer the door?”  Shisui hummed into the 24pk of beer in his arms.</p><p>“Izuna is here.”  Itachi replied, shifting the take out and wine in his own arms awkwardly.  “His car is in the parking lot.”</p><p>“Good thing we bought more food than we needed then.”  Shisui looked at Sakura’s door expectantly, but it didn’t open.</p><p>“Do you think they heard that wussy knock of yours?  Maybe you should knock again, harder, you know, like a man.”  Shisui grinned at the bland look on Itachi’s face.</p><p>“You do it, my arms are full.  I’m carrying more than you.”  Itachi said calmly, then added.  “...because you're a girl and can’t hold as much as me.”</p><p>Shsiui’s fist was just barely touching Sakura’s door when he bent over laughing.  “Itachi, I’ve never...I can’t remember the last time you made a joke like that, if ever!”</p><p>“I’m going to tell Sakura you think girls are weak.”  Shisui teased Itachi like a little kid.</p><p>“Not girls, just you.”  Itachi smiled, enjoying himself.</p><p>Itachi replied with a dead serious, straight face.  “Sakura likes to laugh and she might...need to laugh tonight.”</p><p>Shisui stared at Itachi...did he, like Sakura?  “Itachi, are you saying, when did you…”</p><p>Sakura’s door opened to reveal Izuna Uchiha.  “Obito said you two would stop by with dinner for Sakura.  That was very thoughtful of you.”  Izuna stepped back to allow the men to enter the apartment taking the wine from Itachi’s hand.</p><p>“Thank you Uncle.”  Itachi caught Shisui’s eye.  ‘Not my place to say anything’, Shisui rolled his shoulders and looked around the apartment.</p><p>“Hey little flower, nice little place you got here.  Bigger than your last one with Sasuke, I like it.”  Shisui whistled appreciatively as he moved into the kitchen as though he had been there a thousand times.  “I’m going to put this beer in your fridge.  You want your wine in there too?”  He asked Sakura.</p><p>“Wine?”  Sakura looked at the bag Izuna had in his hand.</p><p>“Your favorite.”  Izuna pulled one of the bottles out, recognizing it as the same kind he had caught her and Ino drinking in her office the same night Sasuke had broken up with her, two days ago.  “How do you know her favorite wine, and why did you buy three?”</p><p>“Like you, I have known her for many years Uncle, and we brought three for Sakura to share with Ino tomorrow.  Ino bought it last time”  Itachi inclined his head a tad, for formality's sake to his clan head. Sakura blinked, how did Itachi know Ino had bought the wine last time?  “Shall I get you a glass Sakura?  I recall you prefer it at room temperature, not chilled.”</p><p>“Please.”  Sakura smiled hesitantly at Itachi, trying to piece together what Izuna had just told her with the kind boy she had known all her life, but the look was misunderstood. Dark eyes watched Sakura survey Itachi.</p><p>Izuna felt the smallest twitch in the side of his jaw, of jealousy, but stomped down on it quickly.  It was him she had kissed, it would be him in her bed tonight, not Itachi.  It meant nothing.  What Itachi had said was true, they had known one another for many years, they all had.</p><p>The little voice in the back of his head persisted, Shisui hadn’t known Sakura preferred her wine at room temperature though, he had offered to put it in the refrigerator...and Izuna hadn’t known that either, but Itachi had.</p><p>It meant nothing.  Itachi, aside from Sasuke, had probably spent the most time with Sakura over the years, they were close.  It was only natural for Itachi to know things about the woman that no one else did.  Yes, Izuna calmed himself, it was nothing.</p><p>“What did you bring?  It smells great!”  Sakura smiled at Shisui and Itachi from her couch.  Her ankle was feeling better but it still hurt when she moved it.  She didn’t want to have to call into work Monday so she was trying to stay off of it for the rest of the weekend, just to make sure.</p><p>“Sakura, why aren’t you getting up, are you ill?”  Itachi asked her, standing at her kitchen table, lifting take out boxes from the bags he had brought.</p><p>Sakura’s eyes met Itachi’s and she...flinched, the slightest of movements at the steel in his eye that hadn’t been there a moment ago.</p><p>Itachi narrowed his eyes, she had never flinched when looking at him.  His eyes darted to Izuna who, yes, he had seen it as well.  So, he told her.  Out of all the Uchiha, even Izuna, Itachi knew he was the one who wished Madara was still alive the most.  He wasn’t ready to guide Izuna...or take over the clan...</p><p>There were reasons Madara had never told Sakura what he did for the family and Izuna had just ruined years of painstaking work, all in the matter of a few hours.</p><p>“Sakura, I saw two cats in an alley today, I thought you would like to know.”  Itachi spoke calmly, in his usual quiet voice, his eyes on the take out boxes that he was lining up on the table buffet style.  “One had green eyes, the other black.”  Itachi lifted his head and their eyes met.</p><p>Sakura nodded her understanding.  “Good friends are hard to find.”  She replied.</p><p>“So they are.”  Itachi smiled.  “So they are.”</p><p>“I’m starving.”  Shisui handed a plate to Izuna who had a puzzled look on his face.  “Let’s eat.”</p><p>“Yeah.”  Izuna looked at the food on the table, missing the look Shsiui had given Itachi and the look Itachi was giving Sakura.</p><p>“Can someone grab me a plate please?”  Sakura called from the couch.  “I kinda sprained my ankle earlier today.”  She answered Itachi’s previous question.</p><p>“I’ll get you a plate Sakura.”  Izuna said as Itachi handed him a loaded plate.</p><p>“Here, this is for her.  I know what she likes best.”  Itachi took the empty plate Shisui was holding out for him.  “I always serve her first.”  He explained, raising an eyebrow at Izuna insinuating that he ought to have known that.</p><p>“Of course.”  Izuna moved mechanically toward the couch, handing Sakura the plate Itachi had made up for her only to turn around, to have a wine glass shoved in his face.</p><p>“Her wine.”  Itachi watched the red flush rise up Izuna’s neck as he gazed over the rim of the wine glass with steady eyes.  ‘How many men have you killed Izuna? Would you kill to protect her?’, Itachi ran the dialog through his head as he watched Izuna come to several realities by his eyes.</p><p>‘Yes, I know her better than you will ever know her’, Itachi allowed Izuna to take the glass from his fingers and hand it to Sakura.</p><p>Shisui groaned internally, what the hell was Itachi doing...they were supposed to protect her, not instigate war with their new clan head over her!  Damn it Itachi…</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Itachi, you know you don’t have to keep doing this, walking me home?  I’m not a kid anymore.”  Sakura smiled up at her friend who had met her by the front gates of her high school, like he had done since her Jr. High days.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I enjoy the walk.”  Itachi walked beside her, adjusting his longer stride to match her shorter one.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Well I won’t lie, I enjoy the company, but surely you have better things to do than to walk some silly high school girl to and from school everyday?”  He had been gone for the last two months.  She had heard he had returned last night from Sasuke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How was...your mission?”  She asked him, her eyes on the sidewalk in front of them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Itachi slowed his steps and looked down at the cracks in the pavement, his head turning to an alley they were just about to pass.  Sakura stopped, noticing he had stopped, watched him and waited.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sasuke had texted her last night to tell her Itachi had returned from an unknown place in some unknown part of the world and that he had changed, that there was something different about him...and that he was worried about him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“There are two of them.”  Itachi nodded toward the dark corner of the alley.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura stepped closer to him, to look where he was looking, and saw two cats.  “So there are.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Where there is one there should always be another.”  Itachi looked down at her.  His eyes imploring.  Did she know, how he felt about her?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No one should ever be alone, not even walking home from school.”  He placed his hand on her back, pushing her forward with him as he resumed his pace.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“...or to school?”  She asked him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Or to school.”  He nodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Itachi?”  Sakura stopped under the shade of a large tree and waited for him to look down at her, to see her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hn?”  He waited, his eyes on hers.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She saw something move there, just behind the darkness, just in front of the light in his eyes, shining through the afternoon sun.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Welcome home Itachi.”  Sakura rose up on her toes and kissed the side of his mouth.  “I’ve missed you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She turned before he could reach out for her, she was walking before the sound left his lungs...he followed her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Im home Sakura.”  He whispered as he stepped back up to her, as he took his place once again by her side.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>...another one-shot turning into something too long, but don't worry I won't just cut if off like I did with A Fire Inside...which I am re reading atm, think I might go back after this is done to fix that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Last chapter until the weekend...I think...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Izuna closed the door behind Shisui and Itachi, then turned back into Sakura’s living room.  He wouldn’t lie to himself, he knew what kind of a man he was but he couldn’t fall prey to his selfish whims, not with her.  She wasn’t like other women, she wouldn’t put up with it.  She had told him he could be weak with her, not selfish.</p><p>Selfishness was a weakness, but not one she would be willing to bear with him, not one he wanted to burden her with.  She didn’t deserve that but...he had noticed the way Itachi had watched her, the way his eyes lightened when she spoke to him and wondered...how long.  How long had Itachi felt that way about her.</p><p>Izuna was jealous.  He wasn’t ashamed to admit it.  Sakura was beautiful, intelligent and part of their family like few others were.  She understood them.</p><p>He frowned.  Was that it?  Was that why he enjoyed being around her so much, why he leaned toward her, yearned for her...was it the familiarity, the comfort or was it...more?</p><p>Like the rest of the clan he knew Madara had told Itachi to watch over the girl, knew Itachi had started walking her and her friend Ino to and from school many years ago and wondered, is that when it had started and did Sakura...care for Itachi like…</p><p>Izuna had made it clear to both Shisui and Itachi that he and Sakura were dating.  They had made a semi formal announcement after dinner, when more wine was poured and more beer was drunk.  Itachi hadn’t seemed surprised, or seemed to have minded, but he wouldn’t would he.</p><p>Another thing Izuna envied about the man.  No one would ever know what was on his mind, unless he wanted them to.  So...it had been intentional.  The looks, the touching, the…</p><p>It didn’t matter.  Sakura was loyal and she was his.  Izuna smiled a little, trying it out.  She said she was his, Izuna’s, that’s all that mattered.  Izuna walked more confidently into the living room, picking up the second bottle of wine and refilling both of their glasses.</p><p>“It was nice of Itachi and Shisui to stop by.”  Sakura sipped her wine and smiled.  “I was going to invite them over once I was fully unpacked but this was better.  I didn’t have to cook this way.”</p><p>“I didn’t realize you and Itachi were so close, Sakura.”  The words came out without warning, he hadn’t meant to say them.</p><p>Sakura blinked a bit.  “Of course we are close Izuna.  Like you and I, we have been friends for a long time.”</p><p>“Like you and I.”  Izuna recalled how they had crossed that ‘Friends’ line so easily, so carelessly into...what they were now.</p><p>“Well, not exactly like you and I, but close.”  Sakura took two or three more swallows of her wine and set her glass on her coffee table leaning toward Izuna and pulling him to her by the front of his shirt.  “Not close like this.”</p><p>Izuna set his glass on the table beside hers and smiled.  Good.  “Like this?”</p><p>He covered her hands with his, pulled them apart and wrapped them around his neck.  “Where were we before we were interrupted earlier, Sakura?”</p><p>“You were going to demonstrate different types of control, Izuna, unless you’ve changed your mind?”  Her lips parted against his as she spoke, a small mewling plea as his tongue slid into her mouth.</p><p>“Mm.”  He picked her up.  “Bedroom.”</p><p>Sakura nodded, wrapping her arms more securely around his neck as he lifted her up and off of her couch moving down the hallway toward her bedroom.</p><p>“I’m not expecting anything.”  Izuna laid her down on her bed.  “If you want to wait to...just know we can touch, kiss and...go slow I won’t, I mean when I said control I meant…”</p><p>“Izuna.”  Sakura sat up on her bed, her feet tucked under her, the injured ankle off to the side just a bit.  “Close your eyes.”</p><p>Trust.</p><p>He hesitated.</p><p>“Unless, you don’t want to um…”  She began.</p><p>He closed his eyes.  He could hear shuffling, the covers of her bedding being pulled back and then a soft touch to his lips.</p><p>“Can I open my eyes yet?”  He swallowed, waiting for her to...let him.</p><p>“Not yet, I want to touch you and for you to touch me, to see without seeing for just a bit.”  Sakura took his hands in hers and moved closer to his chest.  He could feel the heat of her body, was she...naked?  He stood at the side of her bed and waited.</p><p>Sakura moved his hands to her face, laying them against her cheeks, turning her head to kiss one and then the other.  She heard his breath tighten in his chest, felt the tremor run through his body and smiled.</p><p>Moving slowly, she kissed his lips again, pressing herself up against his chest, and intentional exhaled against the side of his neck.  Taking his hands from her face, she moved them, her hands over the tops of his, down her neck, over her collarbone and…</p><p>“Sakura, you’re…”  He swallowed hard again.</p><p>“Touch me Izuna.”  Sharp little teeth bit into the side of his neck, his hands dropping from hers to run down the side of her naked body.  “Open your eyes Izuna.”</p><p>Izuna’s eyes snapped open, looking down at her, she was naked, kneeling on the bed before him.  </p><p>“You’re so beautiful Sakura.”  He ran his hands up the side of her body then down again, moving to her ass, gripping it slightly, weighing her body in his palms, then slid his fingers up her back as he forced her head back with a hard kiss.</p><p>“More.”  She moaned against him.</p><p>“Mine.”  He groaned as her nails raked down his back pulling his shirt up and over his head.</p><p>“Hn.”  She agreed, her hands moving swiftly to unbuckle his belt, pants and slide his zipper down.</p><p>Strong fingers dug into the tops of her hips as she bent to push his pants down his legs.  He closed his eyes again, relishing the feel of her silky hair sliding over his cock when she pushed his pants to the floor.  Stepping out of his pants and moving onto the bed with her, he couldn’t hold back any longer.</p><p>“Are you sure?”  He asked her, one last time knowing full well if she said no, he wouldn’t be able to stop, wouldn’t be able to leave without feeling her around his throbbing sex…  “Sakura?”</p><p>“Im sure.”  She pulled him down onto the bed with her, laying on her side, kissing his mouth and pulling his bottom lip into her mouth.  </p><p>She could feel his hungry want in his touch, it tingled against her skin like his twitching cock against her stomach.  She wanted this, she wanted him.  It had been a long time since she had lain with Sasuke, toward the end of their relationship, they had hardly touched at all.</p><p>“Don’t move.”  Izuna lifted her arms from his body and set them at her sides pushing her onto her back.  “I want to look at you.”  He whispered, his eyes hooded and dark.</p><p>She flushed slightly with embarrassment, no one had ever…  “Izuna, I…”</p><p>“Please Sakura.”  His eyes darted up to her face, then back down to his hand, to his fingers that were tracing lazy little half circles at the base of her neck.  “Let me adore you.”</p><p>Leaning over her, his weight pressing her into the bed he began to move slowly down her body.  Kissing the soft skin at the base of her neck, his tongue flicking out over his fingers as he pressed them into her skin.</p><p>He was using pressure points to...Sakura’s arms shifted at her sides.  He had told her not to move but it was hard.  His tongue...she squirmed.</p><p>“Don’t make me tie you down Sakura.”  Izuna’s voice was deeper, husky and commanding.</p><p>She was a minx.  She smirked at him.  His eyes widened a bit in surprise.  One moment she was meek, the next...taking control away from him.</p><p>“Is that what you call control?”  The words left her mouth before she could stop them.  “I consider that restraint.”  She challenged him, taunted him.</p><p>Izuna smiled.  She was perfect.  “As you wish.”</p><p>He reached over the side of the bed and snatched his belt up from the floor.</p><p>“What are you doing?”  Sakura narrowed her eyes at him.  She had never done anything like this before.  Sasuke had been her first and he wasn’t..this wasn’t anything like what Sasuke had ever done to her.</p><p>“Restraining you love.”  He took both of her wrists and pinned them to her headboard, wrapped his belt around the wooden beam , around her wrists and clipped it tight.  “I told you Sakura, there are different kinds of control.”</p><p>“...but.”  Sakura craned her neck and looked up at her bound wrists.  </p><p>“Don’t you trust me?”  Izuna looked down at her.</p><p>“Yes but…”  She wasn’t sure about this.  They hadn’t talked about this.  This was...kinda hot...</p><p>“Then relax.  I won’t hurt you.”  His eyes left hers to travel over the full length of her body.  “Open your legs for me Sakura.</p><p>“What?”  She squeaked, this was far more than she had…  “Izuna I’m not sure I like this.”</p><p>He ignored her, kissing his way down her chest, his left hand cupping her left breasts, rolling her nipple between his knuckles.  “You will.”</p><p>She closed her eyes as his mouth pulled her nipple into his mouth, she moaned, her hands pulling at the belt, against the restraint.  She wanted to touch him, pull his hair and press him harder into her breasts.  “Izuna.”</p><p>“I've only begun Sakura.”  He teased her, pinching her nipple playfully between his lips.</p><p>“Just relax, love, and enjoy it.”  Izuna ran his hand down the side of her hip, sliding down her inner thigh, curving around her knee then drew her leg up from behind as he continued to lick and suck at her breasts.  “I promise to take care of you.  I promise to make you feel good, to love you the way you deserve to be loved.”</p><p>Sakura closed her eyes and bit her bottom lips hard.  She could feel his mouth on her breast, his tongue swishing and swirling back and forth over her sensitive nipple.  Heat pooled and pulled at her stomach, then…something peaked inside of her.</p><p>“Ungh.”  She moaned out as he threw her leg over his shoulder, leaned up and pressed his hardness against her wet. </p><p> “Do you like that Sakura, the way I make you feel, the way I touch you?”  Izuna watched her eyes close and wondered what Sasuke could have possibly been thinking, letting a woman like this go.  The fool.  He would have to make sure to thank the idiot. </p><p>“Did Sasuke ever touch you like this Sakura?”  Izuna ran the knuckle of his middle finger over her wet sex in slow meanecing strokes as she writhed underneath him pulling against her restraint.  “Has he ever made you come like that?”</p><p>Her hair fell over her face as she shook her head, her eyes still closed, her lips bruised from the bitting.  </p><p>“I promise to give you everything he didn’t.”  Izuna shifted his weight to lay beside her, running his free hand up her chest, his fingers twisting into her hair.  “Open your eyes, love.”</p><p>Sakura opened her eyes.  He was looking at her with such intensity that her stomach flipped again.  “Izuna.”  She gasped his name out as his finger slid into her, probing her heat gently.</p><p>“Ungh.”  She closed her eyes again and rolled her head as he withdrew his finger, only to push two more up and into her body, twisting them at the base, curling up into another pleasure point.  “Ah.”  She panted.  No, Sasuke had never touched her like this, had never made her feel so desired, so wanted and so hungry.</p><p>“Open your eyes.  I want to see how you look when I make you come.”  He nudged the side of her face with his nose, looking down at her, kissing her softly.  “Please.”</p><p>Izuna’s heart thumped in his chest as she opened her eyes and looked at him.  She was so beautiful with those big green eyes of hers, so much more innocent and responsive than anyone he had ever been with.  Yes, head been with a number of women before her but none so beautiful or...sincere.</p><p>Rocking his hardness against her hip he moved his fingers within her and watched her eyes flutter.  He wouldn’t be able to stand to wait much longer, he wanted to be inside of her but, he had promised her pleasure and he wasn’t a selfish lover.  He had meant it when he had said he wanted to give her everything Sasuke hadn’t.</p><p>Izuna wanted her only to think of him, if she ever touched herself when he wasn’t there, it’s his face he wanted her to see, his touch he wanted her to remember on her skin.</p><p>He watched as she pulled on her restraints.  “Don’t fight it, let it come, let the pleasure fill you, release, feel it?  Do you feel the tips of my fingers inside of you, touching your pressure points?  Can you feel this, does it feel good?”  He twisted his fingers deep within her and pressed down with his thumb over her mound.</p><p>Sakura arched her back, pulling painfully on the belt that bound her to her bed.</p><p>“Such a good girl.”  Izuna pulled his fingers from her, licking them one at a time.</p><p>Sakura watched him though half opened eyes, heat shooting through her stomach and downward, curling her toes, making it hard to breathe.  He was, tasting her...she watched him watch her.  A promise.</p><p>Reaching up, Izuna unbuckled his belt, the leather falling from her wrists, her arms falling over her head.  She stretched and smiled.</p><p>“Kiss me Izuna.”  Sakura tugged his ponytail that had fallen over his shoulder, pulling him closer.</p><p>Izuna moved over top of her, supporting most of his weight on his forearms so that he didn’t crush her, he bent his head, his tongue slipping easily into her mouth as he rocked against her.  </p><p>“Lift your legs up a bit.”  He moved a little to the left so she could adjust to his weight more.  “Open them for me love.”</p><p>He ran one palm down her thigh, lifting it slightly and lining his cock up with her.  “You’re so wet love, this won’t hurt I promise.”</p><p>“I’m not a virgin Izuna.”  She half laughed, half groaned as he pushed into her, stopping, waiting for her walls to get used to his size.</p><p>“No, but I don’t plan on holding back.”  That was the only warning she had before he began to move inside of her, pushing all the way in, and pulling all the way back out.</p><p>Izuna lifted both of her legs up and hugged her to his body.  She was so tight, he had to do this right, she was so small, he didn’t want to hurt her but…  “Fuck.”</p><p>Her walls clenched around his shaft so hard he almost came right there.  “Fuck.”</p><p>Sakura pulled him to her, rocking up against him taking him into her core.  “Harder, more.”  She pleaded.  “This is...so good and…”</p><p>With two quick thrusts he had her screaming.  Lifting her up to meet him with each stabbing jolt he pressed his forehead to hers and he bent her in half.  He could feel the pressure building up inside of him, he could feel her walls getting tighter and tighter squeezing him, owning him, pulling him deeper and deeper into her soul.</p><p>“I love you.”  He panted into her neck, his cheek sliding off the sweat of her brow.  “Sakura, I love you.”</p><p>“Izuna…”  Her nails ripped down his back shredding his skin to bloody ribbons.  “Fuck me.”</p><p>He flung his head back, spread her legs further apart and came into her, rocking the headboard against the wall, his eyes closed, his back torn and bloody.  He could feel her arching up against him, following his pull, taking all of him into her.</p><p>“Sakura!”  He moaned out loudly, not caring who heard him.</p><p>“Izuna.”  She gasped, not quite as loudly but loud enough to push him over the edge again.  Hot spurts of thick come released over and over with each pulsing throbbing beat of his heart, filling her, making her squirm.</p><p>His head fell to his chest.  “It seems I can’t control you, without losing control myself.”</p><p>Izuna dropped down onto the bed beside her and let her gather him up into her arms.  Sakura laid her head over his and kissed his ear.  “Control is a double edged sword you know.”</p><p>“Only with you.”  Izuna closed his eyes and fell asleep.  Only With her.</p><p>In the apartment next to Sakura’s, Tobirama sat motionless in his living room, his open book falling from his fingers onto the floor.  So, Izuna had made his claim on the woman.  Hashirama wouldn’t be pleased.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay okay okay, I know I said that I wouldn't write anymore until the weekend, but it won't stop coming out of me!</p><p>I doubt any of you will complain but still....it makes a liar out of me!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK</p><p>“Hn?”  Izuna cracked an eye open, reached across Sakura’s sleeping form to grab his phone.  8am, who the hell was knocking on Sakura’s door at 8am on a Saturday?</p><p>KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK</p><p>“Oh shit!”  Sakura opened her eyes, went to jump out of bed, only to be inhibited by the large male laying on her left arm.  “Oh!  Izuna!  I forgot you were here um…”  She blushed.  They had fallen asleep after making love the night before and she had slept so soundly that she had…</p><p>KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK</p><p>“Crap!  Ino!”  Sakura stumbled out of bed, racing across the room, pulling a Tee shirt on over her head as she went.</p><p>Izuna blinked the sleep out of his eyes and yawned, stretched and sat up in Sakura’s bed.  She had run out of the room, he supposed her ankle must be feeling better.  He smiled to himself as he took in the disarray surrounding him.  Her pants were thrown in a corner, her socks flung to either side of the room...his pants hung haphazardly half on, half off the small stool by the bed and…</p><p>“What is the big freaking deal Forehead, it’s not like you have a hot naked man in your bed or something I swear after that one guy at the restaurant the other day you…”  Ino froze as she pushed the door to Sakura’s bedroom open and stared open mouthed at Izuna Uchiha.</p><p>“Uh, good morning Yamanaka San.”  Izuna bowed rather gracefully...naked as he was from under the hastily drawn covers of Sakura’s bed.</p><p>“Goo good morning Uchiha Sama.”  Ino’s eyes were still wide but she had the good manners to bow low, her wide eyes cast to the floor.  “So nice to see you.”</p><p>Ino raised her head and looked over her shoulder at a blushing Sakura.  “I hadn’t expected to see quite so much of you though.”</p><p>“Yes well, um...if you would be so kind as to shut the door I might be able to fix that.”  Izuna raised an eyebrow at the bold Yamanaka.</p><p>“Right.”  Ino spun on her heel, leaving the door open and stalking down the hall.</p><p>“I’m sooo sorry.”  Sakura cast an apologetic look at Izuna, closed her bedroom door and ran down the hallways after her friend.</p><p>Izuna laughed, loudly and wiped tears from his eyes.  Well, he needn't tell anyone else they were dating, everyone in Konoha would know that the new clan head was dating Sakura Haruno, the newest star surgeon at Konoha Hospital, as soon as Ino set foot out of Sakura’s apartment.</p><p>Izuna reached down for his pants as he heard Ino’s voice from the living room.</p><p>“When the hell did this happen, didn’t Sasuke just dump you and what about that guy, Hashirama, what's his face!”  Ino yelled at the top of her lungs.</p><p>Izuna frowned, the woman had no awareness at all.  He hoped Sakura’s landlord wasn’t the kind to live in his own building because Izuna was sure that everyone in a 1 mile radius had just heard the Yamanaka.</p><p>“Would you please shut the hell up Ino!”  Sakura yelled, but not nearly as loudly as her friend had.  “This is new and I don’t need the commentary!  Also, there is nothing going on between Hashirama Senju and I.”</p><p>“Oh really?”  Ino’s voice was smug.  “Those flowers might argue otherwise.”</p><p>“Huh?”  He heard the confusion in Sakura’s voice.</p><p>“They were on your doorstep when I came up the stairs this morning, you didn’t think I got them for you did you?”  Ino smirked.</p><p>What flowers?  Izuna pulled his shirt over his head and walked out of Sakura’s bedroom, buckling his belt around his waist.</p><p>Izuna walked into the livingroom to find Sakura frowning at a huge box of long stem roses.</p><p>“Who are those from?”  Izuna looked at the roses, then up at Sakura.  </p><p>He wasn’t upset that someone had sent her flowers, no one knew they were together yet, he didn’t blame her for having admirers and even if it had only been a few days since her and Sasuke had officially broken up, he wouldn’t blame a guy for trying.</p><p>However, when it became public knowledge that they were together...that...was different.</p><p>“There’s no name.”  Sakura lifted a blank card up into the air between them.  Izuna took the card and looked down at it.  His eyes narrowed.  No there was no name, but there was a symbol.</p><p>An eight, on it’s side.  “The symbol for eternity.”  Izuna stared down at the card.</p><p>Silence filled the room.</p><p>“Is that what it is, are you sure?”  Ino grabbed the card from Izuna’s hand, forgetting in her haste that he was the Clan Head of the Uchiha now.</p><p>Izuna let her have it, his mind racing through the people he knew who may or maybe not have that symbol in their clan emblem or might have adopted it into a signature.</p><p>“It doesn’t look like eternity to me, it just looks like a lazy eight that fell over and couldn’t get back up.”  Ino pouted, shoving the card back into Sakura’s hands.</p><p>“What, do you know who they’re from?”  Ino watched her friend curiously.</p><p>“Huh?”  Sakura looked up from the card she had been studying, her eyes darting from the card to Izuna, to Ino.  “No.”</p><p>Ino gave her friend a knowing look, her blue eyes flickering to Izuna quickly, then quickly away.  “Well, we should put them in water.  Whoever sent them...spared no expense.  These must have cost him a fortune.”</p><p>“How do you know it was a male?”  Izuna asked, settling down on the couch, lifting the lid off the box of flowers, taking one up in between his two fingers and sniffing the blossom delicately.</p><p>“Well, who else would send Sakura flowers?”  Ino rolled her eyes.  Men were so dumb…</p><p>“Maybe they’re from Tsunade?”  He instigated.</p><p>Sakura laughed.  “Shisou would never waste money on something so trivial.”  Sakura leaned over the back of the couch and picked a flower out of what must have been three dozen blood red roses in the box.</p><p>Izuna watched her bring the flower to her lips, run the velvety softness against them, then move it along the curve of her cheek.  He hadn’t bought the roses for her no, but he knew...this gesture was anything but trivial, just as he knew...Tsunae hadn’t bought them for his girlfriend.</p><p>Ino watched Izuna watch Sakura and shifted her feet nervously.  This was all wrong.  Sakura didn’t belong with Izuna, not like this.  Friends sure, they made great friends but...lovers, more than friends...no, this didn’t seem right to Ino.</p><p>“Well, I should get going.  I have some things I need to address at the manor and you clearly had a day planned with your friend.”  Izuna set the rose back into the box with one last lingering look at the card in Sakura’s hands.  “I’ll call you later, we can get some dinner?”</p><p>“Actually, we kinda had this whole thing planned, you know girl stuff.  Before you and her started, whatever it is you guys are doing together.”  Ino smiled a fake smile.</p><p>Sakura looked at her friend.  Why was Ino being so rude?  Ino had always liked Izuna, it was Madara she hadn’t trusted.</p><p>“Ino.”  Sakura began, but Izuna laughed, interrupting her.</p><p>“I see, well you ladies have fun.  Sakura love, I’ll call you tomorrow morning then.  Text me before you go to bed, if you remember so I know you’re safe.”  Izuna kissed Sakura soundly, ignoring the blatant stare of the interfering blonde.  “See you beautiful.”</p><p>Sakura smiled and waved as Izuna shut the door behind him, turning immediately to Ino.  “What the hell was that about, why were you so rude to him?”</p><p>“What the hell are you doing with Jr. Uchiha Sakura?  Madara was bad enough but him?”  Ino had both of her hands on her hips.  “What about Itachi!”  Ino yelled.</p><p>“Madara?  I was never with Madara!”  Sakura growled, had Ino lost her mind?  Madara had been like an uncle to her!</p><p>“Would you please shut up!”  Sakura looked at her front door, as though Izuna could still hear them.  “That was, a long time ago and…”</p><p>“...and you still have feelings for him, don’t lie to me and don’t lie to yourself.”  Ino walked into Sakura’s kitchen, rootled through her cabinets until she found a vase large enough for the flowers.  “Do you have any idea who these are from?  Could they be from Hashirama?”</p><p>Sakura shook her head, looking down at the card.  “They’re from...Itachi.”</p><p>“What!”  Ino screamed again, making Sakura cover her ears.</p><p>“Shut the hell up Pig!  I have neighbors you know!”  Sakura glared at her friend, bending over the back of the couch to pull the box of roses into her arms and carry them to the kitchen where Ino started cutting them and arranging them in the vase she had picked out.</p><p>“It doesn’t mean anything.”  Sakura said quietly.  “You don’t understand.”</p><p>Ino looked at her friend with a pitying look, no, it wasn’t her that didn’t understand, it was Sakura.  “Sakura, honey look I know you don’t think he likes you but he does and...now that you and Sasuke aren’t together, he has his chance but...look Forehead, Izuna isn’t right for you okay?”</p><p>“Why not?  He’s wonderful, attentive and kind, thoughtful...gentle.”  Sakura smiled, remembering their night together.  “He’s perfect, and you don’t know everything about Itachi, there are things about him that...I don’t know if I could ever be okay with.”</p><p>“I’m sure there are things about Izuna that you don’t know too.”  Ino pointed out.  “About their whole shady clan.”  Sakura smiled, spoken like a true Yamanaka.</p><p>“Ino, you don’t know Izuna like I do.”  She insisted.</p><p>“Does Izuna know you, like Itachi does though?”  Ino wasn’t going to give this one up.  She had spent the last two years watching her best friend suffer through her stupidly horrible relationship with Sasuke, the little prick, and she wasn’t going to let her make the same mistake twice.</p><p>“No one knows me like Itachi does.”  Sakura said quietly.  “That’s why...it would never work out between us Ino.”</p><p>“Sakura. That doesn’t even make sense, do you even hear yourself?”  Ino groaned, she couldn’t believe this.  “Wait a minute, did this start in your office, whatever this is you’re doing with Izuna?  Did it start that night he came to visit you at work, the same day Sasuke broke up with you?”  Ino demanded.</p><p>“Uh, well...kinda.”  Sakura’s guilty look was all Ino needed.</p><p>“Sakura!  What about that stud you had lunch with, if you were just looking to get laid you could have picked him, I mean come on Forehead, you’re sleeping too close to home!  An Uchiha!  The new Clan head!  Are you a total amature?”  Ino yelled.</p><p>KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.</p><p>Both women froze.</p><p>“Were you expecting anyone but me?”  Ino whispered, finally lowering her voice.</p><p>“No.”  Sakura walked slowly to her door, partly because of her ankle, partly because if it was Izuna she didn’t want to explain Ino’s ranting and encouragement for her to have a one night stand with Hashirama.</p><p>“Tobirama?”  Sakura opened her door to the younger brother of the man she and Ino had just been discussing.  “What are you doing here?</p><p>“As your landlord and your next door neighbor I came to tell you that you are being obnoxiously loud.  Please be quiet.  You’re destroying the peace.”  Tobirama looked past Sakura at the blonde.  “Particularly you, with your big mouth.”</p><p>Sakura choked, Tobirama was her...she brought her hand up to her mouth and slapped it over her face before she could humiliate herself further in front of the Senju by laughing in his face for his colorful comment.</p><p>“Excuse me?  It’s the middle of the day!”  Ino yelled.  “I’m not that loud!”  She bellowed.</p><p>“On the contrary.”  Tobirama turned back to the blonde, looking over Sakura’s shoulder once more.  “I’ve had several complaints about your big mouth already.  Not to mention one about last night.”  His red eyes dropped to Sakura’s green ones.</p><p>“Uh.”  Sakura blushed and stammered.  “Sorry about that.”</p><p>“You might want to move your headboard away from the wall a bit, if Izuna San is unable to...control himself.”  Tobirama flicked her nose and walked down the hall, opening and closing the door to his apartment...that she hadn’t known was right next door to her own.</p><p>“Did he just…”  Sakura stared down the hall after the white haired Senju.  “Oh my gosh, he heard.”</p><p>“Well, well, well...it looks like I’m not the only one who’s loud around here huh Sakura?”  Ino smirked.  “So tell me, was it good?  Was he better than Sasuke?  I’m just curious, I still don’t approve but...”</p><p>“Would you please shut the hell up Ino!”  Sakura shut her front door, red in the face.</p><p>Tobirama leaned against his own front door, his arms crossed over his chest.  The woman’s face had gone four different shades of pink before finally turning red.  He had flicked her nose...like a puppy.  What the hell was wrong with him.  He sighed and shook his spiky white mess from his eyes and pushed off from his door.</p><p>He hadn’t seen why his brother had been so interested in the woman at first but ...he was beginning to understand and perhaps a little of why the Uchiha, hadn’t been able to control himself last night.</p><p>“This isn’t going to end well.”  He told himself, sliding the glass door to his balcony open and sitting down in his chair.</p><p>He could still hear the woman next door talking, much quieter than before and he wondered...what Madara Uchiha would have had to say about all of this.  No, Madara and him had never gotten along very well, but Tobirama respected him, as a clan leader, as a person and...for forgiving his brother for the greater good.  It was...admirable.  A good quality to have.</p><p>“Sakura, really, what is this between you and Izuna.  I mean, where do you see this going really?  You’re not a clan kid, but you should know, hanging around the Uchiha as much as you do, for as long as you have...the leader of the clan doesn't date, he marries.”  Ino reminded her friend.</p><p>Tobirama let his fingers fall against the cover of the book he had been reaching for.  Sakura’s sliding door must be open, he could even hear the woman sigh.  No wonder the blonde had seemed so loud from inside his apartment.</p><p>“It’s comfortable, you know?  Easy.”  He heard Sakura’s voice pause.  “We know each other so well, it just seemed natural to fall into bed with one another and, it was...nice not to sleep alone again.”</p><p>“Oh Sakura.”  He heard the blonde’s high pitched voice and cringed slightly.  “Honey, come here.”</p><p>Tobirama picked his book up and opened it to the page he had left off on when he didn’t hear the women speaking anymore.</p><p>No, he thought to himself, this wouldn’t end well, for Sakura, for Izuna or for Hashirama.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just to be clear, Tobirama is not a romantic interest in this fic, he is just coming to the understanding of how interesting Sakura is...and he doesn't even know about her kick ass MA skills yet!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What’s that?”  Shisui peered over Itachi’s shoulder to pluck the receipt from his fingers.  “Aww, flowers, for me?  You shouldn’t have.”  Shisui batted his eyes in mock flirtation at his cousin.</p><p>“For Sakura, not you.”  Itachi told him...unnecessarily.</p><p>“I figured.”  Shisui rolled his eyes.  “...but why Itachi.  What are you doing, really.  Dinner last night was one thing but flowers I mean...no."  Shisui looked at his cousin like he had lost his mind.  “Fuck no Itachi, what the hell?”</p><p>Shisui realized what his cousin was doing.  </p><p>“They probably slept together last night for the first time.”  Itachi took the receipt back from his cousin.  “I wanted to remind her.”  He paused.</p><p>“Remind her of what?”  Shisui asked.</p><p>Itachi turned to his cousin.  He knew Shisui didn’t approve of what he was doing.  However, Shisui didn’t understand, no one did...except Madara.  “I wanted to remind her...what we mean to one another.  She has forgotten.”</p><p>‘Forgotten’, Shisui chose his words carefully.  “Itachi.  Lord Madara told us to protect her.  We can’t protect her, to the best of our ability, if we love her...romantically.”</p><p>“You love her?”  Itachi whirled around quickly to meet his cousin’s startled eyes.</p><p>“No!”  Shisui raised his hands up in front of his chest and waved them back and forth.  “I meant you.  I just said us because Lord Madara had told us, both of us, to watch over her if anything happened to him.”  Shisui clarified.</p><p>“Me.”  Itachi calmed himself.  “He told me to protect her, to watch over her and I have, since she was twelve.”  Itachi tucked the receipt into a book on his bookshelf, then turned back to Shisui.  “She doesn’t belong to Izuna.”</p><p>“She thinks she does.”  Shisui said simply.  This was bad.  Once Itachi got something in his head, it was difficult to redirect him.  Ever since he had gotten back from the Land of Sound ten years ago...he had been, different.</p><p>“No.”  Itachi smiled.  “She doesn’t.”</p><p>“But.”  Shisui began.  He had to try…</p><p>“It doesn’t matter.  You’ll see.  I’ve made my move.  It’s her turn.  You’ll see Shisui.”  Itachi looked out the window.  It's still too early.  Before dinner, he knew, she would either call him or text him.  “Before the sun sets.”</p><p>Shisui rubbed the shorter hair on the back of his head making it spike up and stick out at odd angles.  “If you say so…”</p><p>...and if Sakura didn’t reach out to him by sunset tonight?</p><p>Ino watched her friend out of the corner of her eye as they walked the cobble stoned path of the outside mall.  Sakura had agreed, too quickly, to Ino’s suggestion of ‘Shopping’.  Sakura hated shopping.  Ino knew she was only trying to shut her up, well, it wasn’t going to work.</p><p>They turned into one of Sakura’s favorite stores...two could play this game too.</p><p>“So, are you going to tell me when you stopped crushing on Itachi Sakura?”  Ino held a black silk dress up to Sakura’s chest, her blue eyes piercing through her best friend’s stoic barrier.</p><p>“Probably about the time I started dating his brother.”  Sakura quipped back, taking the dress from Ino and pressing it against her body, looking at it critically in the mirror.  “I like this but it’s a bit short don’t you think?”</p><p>“It isn’t too short, you’re just a prude.”  Ino bit back, annoyed with her friend.  “You were never supposed to be with Sasuke anyway so i don’t see why that matters.”  Ino huffed, picking out a slightly longer white dress and holding it up to her friend.</p><p>“Ino, if I listened to you I would have asked Gaara out three years ago and we all know how that would have ended.”  Sakura raised a brow to the blonde, handing her the black dress and exchanging it for the white one.  “I like this one.”</p><p>“Gaara had issues, I’ll admit but we’re not talking about Gaara, this is Itachi, you know Itachi?”  Ino snatched the white dress from Sakura’s fingers and moved over to the shoes.  “The guy you swore you would marry one day until he left for who knows where and was gone for who knew how long...so you settled for his dumbass little brother who got you drunk at Naruto’s house, fucked you, then made you think you had to stay with him out of some messed up sense of loyalty?”</p><p>“He was my first Ino and I cared about him.”  Sakura picked up a pair of silver and white sandals.</p><p>“He wasn’t supposed to be your first, Itachi was.”  Ino hissed.</p><p>Ino grabbed the silver and white sandals from Sakura’s hands and shoved a pair of silver and gold high heels into them.  “You cared about him enough to move in with him, but not enough to marry him.”  She smiled.  She had her now.</p><p>Sakura opened her mouth to retort, then paused.  Ino was right about Sasuke but it didn’t mean she was right about Itachi.  “Ino, Itachi is...different.  He’s not like other men, certainly not like Sasuke and not like...Izuna.  I wasn’t joking when I told you that there are things about him that...I’m not sure I can accept.”</p><p>Shrewd blue eyes looked at her friend, watched her lace the heels onto her feet and sighed.  “Okay.  I get it, the guy has a bit of post military damage but...hear me out...he loves you Sakura.  Anyone can see it if they just look...if they know when to look.  He loves you.”</p><p>Sakura stood up, looked at her feet, then up at the mirror and into Ino’s eyes.  “Izuna told me he loved me last night, when we ...you know.”</p><p>Ino’s mouth dropped open slightly, then snapped shut.  “All guys say that when they’re in you.”</p><p>Sakura rolled her eyes.  “You’re so crude Ino Pig.”</p><p>“It’s true though.”  Ino insisted.</p><p>“Sasuke didn’t.”  Sakura said before she could stop herself.</p><p>“Sasuke is a douchebag.”  Ino shot back.</p><p>“Whatever Pig.  It wasn’t like that with Izuna he...  I think he meant it.”  Sakura took the heels off and placed them back on the shelf.  “I’m going to try this on okay.”</p><p>Ino followed Sakura to the dressing room.  “Do you love him?  Did you say it back?”  Ino asked.</p><p>“No.”  Sakura hung the dress on the peg inside of the dressing room and started to take off her clothes while Ino waited outside of the curtain.</p><p>“What did you say then, when Izuna told you he loved you?”  Ino asked, curiously.</p><p>“Um…”  Sakura peeked her head out of the dressing room and cupped her hands to her face.  Ino leaned closer to her friend.  “I told him to fuck me.”  Sakura whispered.</p><p>“He told you he loved you and you told him to fuck you!?”  Ino yelled.</p><p>“Would you please shut the hell up Pig!”  Sakura yanked the curtain back into place and stepped into the white dress.</p><p>Hashirama knocked on the door to Tobirama’s apartment.  He still didn’t understand why his brother preferred to live in one of the apartment buildings their family owned instead of at the estate but, he preferred to live in a loft alone so…</p><p>Tobirama opened the door and nodded to his brother.  “I thought you’d be by.”  The door swung open.  “Come on in.  I have lemonade on the balcony.”  </p><p>Hashirama followed his brother into his apartment, closing the door behind him.</p><p>Sakura walked up the stairs to her apartment ahead of Ino.  “Did you want to get some lunch, mind if we order in?  My ankle is starting to pain me a bit.”</p><p>“I’ll go pick it up if you order.  Let’s get some of those kick ass noodles from that one place downtown, um, what was it called again?”  Ino took Sakura’s keys from her pocket and opened her door for her since she was carrying two bags and Ino only had one.</p><p>“Ichiraku Ramen?  Can we order from somewhere else?  Naruto makes me eat there with him all the time.  Oh crap, Naruto I forgot to go to the dojo.  I promised him I would be there today.”  Sakura set her bags on one of the recliners in her living room and pulled her phone from her pocket.  “I’ll call him.”</p><p>“You do that.  I’ll just get your balcony set up.  When you’re off the phone with Naruto, order us a pizza. Will you, uh, get a large, two large, that way we won’t have to go out again for dinner!”  Ino called over her shoulder as she slid Sakura’s sliding glass door open and stepped out onto her balcony.</p><p>“Will you be visiting Sakura often, because if so, I’ll need to invest in some...soundproofing for the rest of the building.”  Ino’s summer blue met the cold red eyes of Tobirama Senju.</p><p>Ino ignored the albino for the brown haired man beside him.  “Nice to see you again.  Did you know your brother is a huge prick?”</p><p>Hashirama laughed, then shrugged.  “I’m used to his less than cordial way of...greeting beautiful women.”  Hashirama inclined his head to Ino, then turned to his brother.</p><p>“You didn’t tell me Sakura lived next door to you.”  Hashirama looked back at Sakura’s blonde friend, the same one he had met the first day he had met Sakura, came to the very accurate assumption that...yes, his brother Tobirama lived next door to Sakura.</p><p>“It wasn’t necessary for me to tell you something you would find out eventually.”  Tobirama picked up his glass of lemonade and ignored the dirty look from both his brother and the Yamanaka, for she could be nothing else with eyes and hair like that.</p><p>“We, however, haven’t been introduced...formally.”  Tobirama set his lemonade down and looked at Ino expectantly.</p><p>“I don’t talk to assholes.”  Ino turned on her heel and walked back into Sakura’s apartment, shutting the sliding glass door behind her.</p><p>“That...went well.”  Hashirama rubbed his hands over his face.  “Must you be rude to everyone Tobi?  She’s Sakura’s best friend and I had hoped that…”</p><p>“Sakura slept with Izuna Uchiha last night Hashirama, there is no hope for that fantasmal relationship.”  Tobirama cut his brother off.  “I heard them.”</p><p>“Oh.”  Hashirama looked down at his hands that were folded on the patio table in front of him.  “Wait, you heard them?”  Hashirama wrinkled his nose in distaste.</p><p>“Yes, Izuna San was rather...expressive.”  Tobirama crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at his brother.  “Did you wish for a more detailed description?”</p><p>“No, no, thank you.”  Hashirama said quickly.  “I suppose then, we’ll just be friends after all.”</p><p>“It’s probably for the best.”  Tobirama tried to add a bit of sympathy to his voice for his brother’s sake, but failed miserably.  It sounded much more sarcastic than sympathetic.  Tobirama coughed into his hand.  “You’ll still see her at the hospital.”</p><p>“True.”  Hashirama frowned into his glass of lemonade.  “I guess I can look forward to that, yes, I’ll try to be more positive.”</p><p>Tobirama rolled his eyes.  “She is too close to the Uchiha.  It never would have worked out Hashirama.”  He said with much more genuine sympathy.</p><p>“I know.”  Hashirama said quietly.  “I just, really liked her.”</p><p>Both Tobirama and Hashirama turned their heads as Sakura walked out onto her balcony, calling out to her friend over her shoulder.  Her head was turned so she didn’t see Hashirama or his brother sitting on Tobirama’s balcony.  “Ino, do you want to eat on the balcony?”</p><p>“Sakura.”  Hashirama stood up from his chair and walked to the side of Tobirama’s balcony, his voice cracking slightly,  bowing from the waist.  “It’s good to see you again.”</p><p>Sakura’s head whipped around at the sound of Hashirama’s voice.  “Hashi Hashirama.”  Sakura stuttered.  “Uh, yes, nice to see you again.”  She blushed at the same time her face had started to drain of color, leaving her complexion an embarrassing blotchy pink.</p><p>Ino rushed out onto the balcony after Sakura.  “I don’t want to eat on the balcony.  There’s too many...pests.”  Ino glared at Tobirama who looked amused.</p><p>“I agree.  It’s best if you eat in the privacy of your own apartment Sakura.  Please shut your sliding glass door behind you, providing your friend’s shrill voice doesn’t crack the glass.  I’d hate to take it out of your security deposit.”  Tobirama smirked as Ino opened her mouth to retort.</p><p>“Tobi.”  Hashirama turned to his brother.  He didn’t want Sakura to go back inside, he wanted her to stay outside, on her balcony, where he could speak with her.  “Apologize.”</p><p>“I’ll do no such thing, she’s…”  Tobirama narrowed his eyes at his brother who was making shushing motions with his hands out of Sakura and Ino’s line of sight...and groaned internally.  “Fine.”  Tobirama turned toward Ino.</p><p>“I apologize for calling you a blubbering vessel of hot air.”  He inclined his head to the blonde.</p><p>“You didn’t call me a...you prick!”  Ino stepped out in front of Sakura and reached her hand out, leaning across Sakura’s balcony trying to slap the smug expression off of Tobirama’s face, but failed miserably because these were luxury apartments and the balconies were not only very large but also much farther apart than most.</p><p>“Fortunate for me the long arm of your...wraith doesn’t quite reach me I see.”  Tobirama continued to taunt the blonde, a tiny smile on the corner of his lips.</p><p>Hashirama looked from his brother to Sakura’s blonde friend, was Tobi...flirting?  Excitement flooded Hashirama’s face.  He turned to his brother, his eyes sparkling, momentarily forgetting his own depression having heard that Sakura had slept with Izuna Uchiha and…</p><p>“Shut it, not a word or I swear I’ll call Izuna Uchiha myself and invite him over.”  Tobirama scowled at his brother, whose face fell comically at being cut short of what he had hoped was a joyous occasion and first for his younger brother.</p><p>“...but.”  Hashirama began.</p><p>Tobirama pulled his phone out of his pocket and punched in his code.  “I’m not bluffing.”</p><p>“Fine fine, don’t call Izuna San.”  Hashirama sat down in his chair, looking at Sakura curiously.  “I hear you and Izuna are dating.”</p><p>Sakura swallowed.  She had wondered how her and Hashirama’s next interaction would go but this...was not what she had expected.  It was still awkward, still...stressful but it wasn’t exactly, unpleasant.</p><p>“Yes, as of...last night.”  Her eyes darted to Tobirama who nodded.  Sakura groaned. </p><p>Hashirama laughed a bit ruefully.  “I’m glad that you’re happy Sakura.”  He said simply.</p><p>“You are happy, aren’t you?”  Hashirama asked, his eyes darting to Ino who was mouthing something at him.</p><p>“Oh.  Um, thank you.  Hashirama.”  Sakura smiled a bit.  </p><p>He was trying to make this easier for her, she could do the same.  The past was the past and people could learn from their mistakes.  She would give Hashirama the benefit of the doubt.  She wouldn’t get too close, no, she wasn’t a fool.  She had heard what Izuna had told her but...still, Hashirama didn’t seem that bad and even Izuna had said, he thought the man was sorry.</p><p>“I’ll go get the pizzas, you set the table up, out here.”  Ino gave Hashirama a look, turned and walked back into Sakura’s apartment.</p><p>Sakura glanced back at Hashirama before turning after her friend.  “Hey, I thought you didn’t want to eat on the balcony?”  Sakura asked hopefully.</p><p>“I changed my mind.”  Ino grabbed her keys from Sakura’s lunch counter and walked toward the front door.  “I’ll grab some wine, you only have one bottle.”  She nodded to the counter where only one of the three bottles Itachi and Izuna had brought with them remained.</p><p>“...but Ino, I don’t think this is a good idea.  Hashirama is um…”  Sakura began but stopped, it wasn’t something she should tell Ino.  It hadn’t been something she was supposed to know.  She had only been told for her own safety.  </p><p>“A millionaire, good looking, interested in you?”  Ino rattled off all the things she saw Hashirama as.  “Please Forehead, Izuna is hot but come on…”</p><p>“I thought you said I was destined to be with Itachi?”  Sakura countered.</p><p>“You are, but you can have lunch with Hashirama in the meantime.”  Ino closed the door behind her leaving Sakura staring at her door.</p><p>“Damn it Ino.”  Sakura cursed under her breath, turning and looking back toward her sliding glass door.  “What do I do…”</p><p>DING</p><p>Sakura pulled her phone from her pocket.  It was a text from Naruto.  </p><p> </p><p>-Got yur VM Kura, I’m with Teme, talk to you later.  No probs about the dojo, Teme was here anyway.  C yas!-</p><p> </p><p>Sakura tapped a smiley face in response and cleared the message from her notifications bar.  Looking down at her phone she studied her home screen picture.  It was a picture of her, Naruto and Sasuke...Kakashi Sensei and Obito.  Sakura narrowed her eyes, in the background...she had never noticed before but...Itachi was sitting on the rope swing, in the back of the dojo’s grass lot.</p><p>Tapping her phone, she went to her pictures folder and selected the same picture from her list, tapped it to bring it up and used her fingers to enlarge it.  Looking at the enlarged picture she could see Itachi more closely on the swing.  He was...he had his phone in his hand and was...taking a picture of them?</p><p>Sakura bit her bottom lip, how strange, she hadn’t even known he had been there.  He rarely came to the dojo, sometimes when she was on the circuit, he would come to some of her events but…</p><p>Moving her thumb over her phone she closed her pictures folder and brought up her messages.  Picking Itachi’s name out of her lineup she scrolled through her most recent texts with him.  A man of few words, even written ones, there was nothing strange about his messages to her.</p><p>Opening his most recent message, she paused...should she tell him, let him know she got the flowers, that she...knew he had sent them?  “Maybe I should call him.”</p><p>Her thumb moved to the little phone icon before she realized she had decided to call him.</p><p>Shisui cracked an eye open as Itachi’s phone began to ring.  “What song is that?”  Shisui didn’t recognize the ring tone.  “I thought you set your phone to a regular boring ring.”  He teased his cousin as Itachi pulled his phone from his pocket.</p><p>“It is.”  Itachi looked down at his phone and smiled.  “Sakura, is special.”</p><p>“Moshi moshi.”  Itachi turned away from his cousin as he answered his phone.  “Sakura, I knew you’d call.  I’ve been waiting.”</p><p>“Shit.”  Shisui groaned.  This wasn’t good, no good would come of this...damn it...</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Insight</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura ended her call with Itachi, her eyes slightly clouded. Her thoughts swimming in her head.  </p><p>When she had asked him why he had sent her the roses, when he knew she was with Izuna…</p><p>‘To celebrate both life and death’, he had told her.  ‘To acknowledge the past and the present’, he had insisted when she asked what his first statement had meant.  ‘You know why’, was his reply when she had asked why he had sent three dozen and not just one...like he used to.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>”Itachi.”  Sakura smiled at Itachi as she walked up to him.   School was out for the summer.  It was her senior year, she wouldn’t be returning to Konoha High in the Fall, no, she would be starting Konoha University, with her friends.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Congratulations.”  Itachi withdrew a long stem rose from the inside of his modern kimono shirt, bowing slightly as he extended his hand to her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thank you Itachi.”  Sakura took the blood red flower from his fingers and brought it to her nose.  “It’s beautiful.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Itachi didn’t say anything in return.  He watched as a light summer breeze lifted her hair from her back and pushed it over the tops of her shoulders.  “Are you growing your hair out Sakura?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hum?  No, I just...the end of the year and all, you know.  I haven’t had time to get it cut.”  She shrugged, lifting her back pack up and over her shoulder.  “I’ll get it cut tomorrow though.”  She smiled at him again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Don’t.  It looks nice long.”  His hand lifted and smoothed the hair back from her cheek.  “I would like to see you wear it long, if you can stand it?”  His fingers followed the curve of her cheek, his eyes steady as he looked down at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I suppose I might give it a try.”  She said hesitantly.  She had never thought of growing her hair out before.  Like most girls in elementary school, her hair had been longer but when she had entered Jr. High she had cut it.  It had been much easier to take care of short, so she had kept it short not thinking or caring about how it looked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thank you.”  Itachi took her back pack from her shoulder and slung it over his own.  “I look forward to seeing it when I return.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Are you leaving, so soon?  I thought you still had a few weeks, I was looking forward to going to the summer festival with you.”  She pouted prettily.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I have been chosen for...something in particular.  I leave tonight.”  He began walking in the direction of her house.  “I should be packing right now but Shisui promised to finish packing for me, so I could come say goodbye to you in person.”  He explained.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh.”  Sakura watched her feet fall onto the pavement, left then right, over and over.  She was surprised and disappointed.  She really had been looking forward to going to the summer festival with him.  She had hoped that...he would confess his love for her then, under the summer stars and maybe, give her...her first kiss.  “I understand.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do you Sakura.”  He wasn’t asking, but he sincerely wondered if she understood why he was leaving, and how he felt about her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I think so.  You’re a protector Itachi, that's what you do.  Whether it's me or Konoha, you’re a protector.  I understand.”  She didn’t wish to burden him with her feelings, not if he was leaving.  He would need to focus on his mission, not on some silly high school girl’s fantasies.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s always you Sakura.”  Itachi stopped walking and turned to her.  “I’m going now, leaving you so that when I come back, I will be able to take better care of you.  There are some kinds of conditioning, some kinds of training that can only be learned...in the field.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura could only speculate as to what his words really meant but she nodded and hoped she was understanding him correctly.  Clearly he was trying to tell her something without...telling her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She had learned many things over the years about the Uchiha Clan, through interaction with the clan, through Sasuke and Itachi...Madara and Izuna, but the way Itachi told her things, the way only he spoke to her in half truths, riddles and silence was...unique to only his brand of Uchiha.  He and Shisui...could have conversations with just their eyes, never uttering a word in a room roaring with noise.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura had always envied the two cousins for this skill.  She herself was not quite up to the task yet.  Someday...she hoped to overcome this...non-Uchiha handicap.  Today was not that day.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Itachi?”  She looked up into his dark eyes.  “Are you going to be gone long or…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t know.  I don’t even know where I’m going, until I get there.”  He replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh.”  She looked back down at her feet.  “Okay.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Go to Madara if you need anything, or Mikoto.  While I’m gone, stay close to Sasuke and Naruto.”  He lifted her chin, making her look him in the eyes again.  “Do not get stubborn and do anything foolish while I’m gone.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A warning.  A command.  She blushed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What kind of trouble do you think I could possibly get into while you’re gone.”  She laughed, trying to lighten the intensity of his threat.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do not lose your temper.  Control your tongue and if you need to, go to Obito or Shisui if Madara or Mikoto aren’t available.”  He continued as though she hadn’t spoken.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura’s temper flared.  She bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep herself from snapping at him.  He had just made a point, telling her not to lose her temper and…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Itachi smirked.  “There’s that fire.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura’s eyes narrowed.  “Itachi.”  She growled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Enough.”  He reached down for her hand and pulled her closer to him, bent his head and kissed her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She gasped, he pushed his tongue past her lips, dropped her backpack from his shoulder...heard something crack inside of it and cupped both of her cheeks with his hands.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do not forget what we are.  While I’m gone, Sakura.”  He pulled away from her for a moment.  “I’ll come back.  I don’t know when but…”  He kissed her again, in the middle of the sidewalk, on main street, he kissed her as cars drove by honking, as other students walked by jeering and cheering in turns...he kissed her.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The next morning, when she woke, there was another long stem, blood red rose on her pillow next to her head on her bed.  He had come in through her window in the night and laid it beside her.</p><p>She thought it had been a dream, when she had felt his lips on hers.  She thought she had been asleep when she had opened her eyes in the dark and seen him standing before her.</p><p>It had been her over active imagination, she had told herself days, weeks and the months that had followed when she recalled the touch of his fingers against her bare skin, his lips on the curve of her shoulder and his long fingers twining through her hair as he had made love to her in her childhood bed.</p><p>Sakura pulled one of the roses from the vase Ino had arranged them in, ran the soft, cool velvety petals against the heat of her lips and closed her eyes.</p><p>No, Sasuke hadn’t been her first.  It was just as Ino had said...Itachi had been her first, as it should have been…</p><p>...she had waited for him for months but he never returned.  Six months she had waited, turning down every boy who had been brave enough to ask her out.  For six months she had waited at home, visiting the Uchiha compound each day, asking Madara if he had heard from Itachi, only to be told that Itachi couldn’t be contacted, not to worry, that he would be home...eventually.</p><p>Eight months later Sasuke had asked her to Naruto’s New Year’s party.  Tired of waiting for something that may never happen, she went.  Sasuke had kept pressing drinks into her hand, she had lost count.  He hadn’t left her side all night, whispering compliments and endearments into her ear...over and over again, touching, trying, insisting.</p><p>In the morning, she had woken up...Sasuke’s arm around her waist, in his bed at the Uchiha compound.  Mikoto had walked in on them, gasped and...ran to tell Madara.</p><p>Sakura had never seen Madara so angry before, but as Madara spoke, with her head hung low...Sasuke by her side arguing against Madara’s words...all she could think about was how she had betrayed Itachi and how she would never, never forgive herself.</p><p>When the yelling had stopped.  When silence filled the room, it was only then that she dared look up at Madara.</p><p>Sakura swallowed, the rose pressed hard against her lips as she remembered the look on his handsome face.</p><p>She had never seen him look so disappointed before, like she had...broken his heart, not Itachi’s.  Tears slipped down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.  </p><p>“Itachi.”  She whispered into the flower.  “How can you still love me after I…”</p><p>Madara’s words came back to her as she picked the card up from the base of the vase and looked down at the infinity symbol.</p><p>‘Everyone falls’, he had told her.  ‘Not everyone gets back up’.  Her shoulders shook.</p><p>“It seems as though I’ve fallen again.”  Sakura cried into her flowers.  “How can you keep forgiving me?”  She sobbed.</p><p>“I’m so stupid.”  She confessed to the empty room.  “I was so selfish.”  She moaned, clenching the rose stem in her fist, ignoring the sharp thorns and the blood seeping through the cracks in between her fingers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I can't seem to stop writing.  I think I have a compulsion.</p><p> </p><p>....tell me~</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Izuna watched Itachi and Shisui from the manor house office.  It had been a year since Itachi had returned to Konoha after his last 'Extended leave’.  He had changed, everyone saw it, felt it.  Madara had told him it was because Itachi was a man now, ready to take on the full pressures of the clan and had named him Clan Enforcer, a substantial position.  A guardian.</p><p>The position Izuna had held until a year ago.</p><p>“You need to learn the ways of the clan, from the Clan Head’s position, in case anything happens to me Izuna.”  His brother had told him.  “Let Itachi run the family, from behind your shadow.  He’s earned it.”</p><p>Cryptic words, from a cryptic man.  Izuna still wasn’t sure what Madara had meant by that.  Did it matter, Madara was dead.</p><p>A man.  Wasn’t he also a man though?  Hadn’t Madara forbid him to join the Konoha military, saying it was imperative for him to remain at home, with the clan?  Was it fair that Izuna felt less than Itachi...was it Madara’s fault or was it his own...</p><p>Izuna watched as Shisui sat up from his lazy lay about position in the grass beside his cousin, watched as Itachi smiled and pulled his phone from his pocket and froze as Itachi’s eyes lifted...striking an invisible blow through Izuna as their eyes met.</p><p>“What the hell?”  Izuna watched Itachi turn away, showing his back to the Uchiha clan head as he took his call.  Defiance...Itachi...was up to something…</p><p>Never before had Itachi shown him such blatant disrespect.  What the hell was going on?</p><p>Izuna pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the time.  Noon.  Sakura was still out with Ino, his informant had told him so not a moment ago via text.  The women were still shopping at the outdoor mall.</p><p>A sharp pain pulsed suddenly in his side.  Was it Sakura?  Was Sakura calling Itachi?  No, she wouldn’t.  She was loyal.</p><p>‘Loyal to you or to Itachi?’ The annoying voice in the back of his head chided him.</p><p>Izuna scrolled through his contacts and pressed the button for Sakura.  It rang...and rang, then went to voicemail.</p><p>“That doesn’t mean anything.  She’s out with Ino, she might not have heard her phone.”  He tried to reassure himself.</p><p>With only a slight hitch in his movements he texted her.  A text didn’t hurt.  It was just a text.  Harmless right?</p><p>Izuna hit the send button and looked back up, out his office window.  Izuna jerked to attention.  Itachi was watching him.  Izuna looked back down at his phone.  Impossible, did the man know that he had...anger flooded his face turning it red.  “I’m the head of our house Itachi, not you.”</p><p>He knew Itachi couldn’t hear him but he also knew...Itachi could read lips.  Izuna watched a little smile curve along the seam of the other man’s lips.  Saw Itachi’s lips move, their eyes locked onto one another's.</p><p>Unlike Itachi...Izuna couldn’t read lips, but the message was clear.  ‘Are you?’</p><p>Izuna clenched his fists at his side crushing and cacking the casing of his phone.  “Yeah, I am.”  He growled into thin air.</p><p>Sakura ignored the next ding of her phone and wiped her eyes.  Ino would be back with the pizza soon and she needed to wipe her balcony table off and get some plates ready.  It was bad enough that her boss was next door with his brother, she didn’t need him to watch her cry over a past lover after his brother had told him about...Izuna and her last night.</p><p>Izuna…</p><p>“I’m a horrible person.”  She muttered to herself as she grabbed cleaner and a towel heading back out to her balcony.</p><p>Hashirama looked up as Sakura came back out through her sliding glass door with a towel and some cleaning spray.  His eyes took in the puffy redness around her eyes and her flushed cheeks.  Had she been crying?  He opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong and bit his tongue as Tobirama kicked him pointedly under the table, shaking his head.</p><p>The brother Senju watched Sakura spray her table, and wipe it clean.  They saw her shoulders stiffen slightly.</p><p>Sakura realized as she was cleaning the table that Ino was coming back with pizza, plenty of pizza to offer some to Hashirama and his brother but...Izuna wouldn’t like it if she…</p><p>“Um, Hashirama?”  Sakura looked up from her table to find both of the Senju looking at her.  She flushed.  “Ino is bringing back two large pizzas if you’d like to join us?  I mean, we’ll be eating out here and you’re already out here so…”</p><p>It was Tobirama who spoke.  “You don’t need to feel obligated to feed us just because we were outside before you.  Eat with your friend, besides I doubt the Yamanaka will wish to share her food with me.”  Tobirama’s mouth twitched.</p><p>“Ino is just very spirited is all, she didn’t mean to um…”  Sakura began.</p><p>“Don’t apologize for me Sakura!”  Ino kicked Sakura’s front door shut and waddled out onto the balcony, arms full.</p><p>“I wasn’t apologizing for you Ino, I was explaining your flaws.”  Sakura smiled at her friend, taking the pizzas from her so she didn’t drop them.  She would have plenty of time to think her situation over later, right now...she had company and, a distraction.  “What’s in the bag?”</p><p>“Wine duh!  You only had one bottle left.”  Ino smirked at Sakura who rolled her eyes.  “I’ll get some plates, you boys joining us?”</p><p>“Boys?”  Tobirama crossed his arms definitely over his chest and glared at Ino.</p><p>“Yeah, you wanna eat or not asshole?”  Ino winked at Tobirama whose ears tinted pink.</p><p>“I could eat.”  He muttered looking at the tree beside his balcony.</p><p>“That’s what I thought.”  Ino laughed, moving back into Sakura’s apartment for plates.</p><p>“Uh, sorry, Ino gets kinda pushy sometimes and…”  Sakura began, but was interrupted yet again by her friend as she came back out onto the balcony with four plates and four wine glasses.</p><p>“Only because you never seem to know what you want Forehead.”  Ino nudged her friend affectionately, opening the top box and pulling out pieces of pizza, setting them on plates and handing them over the rail to Hashirama and Tobirama who nodded their thanks.</p><p>“I know what I want Ino, it’s just, complicated is all.”  Sakura glared at her friend grabbing the bottle of wine from her hands and uncorking it with a single yank, making Tobirama blink.</p><p>“She’s a pretty skilled MA.”  Hashirama told his brother with a grin.  “She goes to Hatake’s dojo, didn’t I tell you?”</p><p>Tobirama blinked once more and took the offered glass of wine from Sakura and handed it to his brother, reaching back across the space between for the other one Sakura was holding out to him.</p><p>“Skilled, she’s like this crazy woman with superhuman strength.”  Ino slapped an admiring hand against her friend’s back as she set more pizza onto more plates.</p><p>“It’s not superhuman strength Ino, it’s called technique.”  Sakura corrected.</p><p>“Whatever, you kicked Hatake’s ass last time I saw, and Obito’s.”  Ino didn’t see the wary look passed from one Senju to the other at the mention of Obito.</p><p>Tobirama cleared his throat and took a sip of the wine.  “This is very good wine.”</p><p>“It’s Sakura’s favorite.”  Ino smiled glancing at Hashirama who nodded.</p><p>“So, hear from Itachi yet?”  Ino asked Sakura calmly.</p><p>Sakura choked on the bite of pizza she had just taken and coughed.  “I called him.  It wasn’t a long conversation.”</p><p>“Is he coming over later?”  Ino asked innocently.</p><p>Hashirama fidgeted in his seat.  Sakura ignored him.  Ino had no idea how uncomfortable she was making everyone present but Sakura would rather jump off her balcony again, than tell her why.</p><p>“No.”  Sakura didn’t elaborate.  What the hell are you up to Pig, Sakura hissed in her head at her friend who quite obviously had an agenda.</p><p>“Is Izuna San?”  Ino asked next.</p><p>“You know he isn’t.  You’re the one who had made a point to tell him we were spending all day together, remember?”  Sakura hissed openly.</p><p>“Hum.  Good, then we can go out tonight, maybe to a bar what do you say?”  Ino’s eyes sparkled.  “You can wear that white dress of yours and the new heels I picked out for you.”</p><p>“I’m not going to a bar Ino.”  Sakura took two healthy swallows of wine and set her glass down on her table avoiding Hashirama’s eye.</p><p>“A sound decision.  Bars are for whores and vagrants.”  Tobirama nodded his approval, making Sakura cover her mouth to smother her choking laughter.  “Only desperate reprobates attend bars.”</p><p>“Excuse me?”  Ino pointed her slice of pizza at the white haired Senju...crust first.  “I like going to bars and I am not a whore.”</p><p>“Really?  Then why go to a bar?”  Tobirama raised a brow at the blonde.  “Alone with just one other lone female, you’re a walking inducement for molestation.”  He said with finality.</p><p>“You think I’m pretty?”  Ino stuttered.</p><p>“What?!”  It was Tobirama’s turn to choke on his food.  “That’s not what I said at all.”  He glared at her, but his ears gave him away...they were pink, turning red.</p><p>“Oh, so you just want to molest me then?”  Ino was smirking and there was a playful devious glint in her blue eyes as she looked at the younger Senju.</p><p>“You are insane woman, you know that?”  Tobirama rolled his eyes and sighed.  “I’m not going to play word games with you.”</p><p>“Fine.”  Ino took a small bit of pizza, thinking.</p><p>Sakura groaned and drank more wine, she could see the wheels turning in Ino’s head.</p><p>“Come with us.”  Ino looked at Tobirama, and only Tobirama.  “Unless you want people to think Sakura and I are whores?”</p><p>“That’s ludacris, I’m not…”  Tobirama began.</p><p>“Of course we’ll go.”  Hashirama spoke above his brother, smiling at Sakura who blanched.</p><p>“Ino.”  Sakura pulled her friend up from her chair by the arm forcefully.  “I need to speak with you.  Inside.  Now.”</p><p>Hashirama and his brother watched as Sakura pulled Ino into her apartment, sliding the glass door shut firmly behind them.</p><p>“What they hell do you think you’re doing Ino?  You give me crap about Izuna, try to guilt me into thinking of Itachi and now you’re pushing Hashirama on me?  He is my boss!”  Sakura hissed.</p><p>“Look Sakura.”  Ino flung her long ponytail over her shoulder and leaned toward her friend.  “You seem to be in some sort of confusing rut okay?  I see the way your eyes soften when you think of Itachi, when we talk about him your face changes okay?  I’m not blind girl.”  Ino watched Sakura flinch.</p><p>“I’m sure sex with Izuna San was great, I mean all those Uchiha men are drop dead gourgeous and I don’t blame you for Sasuke , but Itachi was meant for you and you were ment for Itachi.  As far as Hashirama is concerned...live a little, have some fun, it’s just as friends okay?”  Ino smiled at her friend.  </p><p>“Come on Sakura.  I’m worried about you, you know?  Madara was important to you I get it, you turned to his brother for comfort, I understand but...there are other options and I think if you can go out and have a night with some guys that have no connection to ‘that life’, to the Uchiha then, maybe you can clear your head.”</p><p>“Ino.”  Sakura tried to make sense of what her friend had just told her.  “That made absolutely no sense.”</p><p>Ino looked down her nose at the pink haired mess.  “Izuna told you he loved you Sakura and you couldn’t say it back.”</p><p>“We’ve been dating for less than 24 hours Ino.”  Sakura retorted.</p><p>“He knew he loved you, look…  It took you a year to tell Sasuke you loved him and you only said it to him twice.”  Ino said quietly.  “I’m not stupid Sakura, I see where your eyes go when you’re with Itachi.  They don’t go to Sasuke and they don’t go to Izuna.”</p><p>“That’s not true.”  Sakura began to protest.  It was true.  “I’ve had a lot going on lately.  I moved out of Sasuke’s apartment, started a new job, moved in here, Madara...just passed away and…”</p><p>“...and maybe you need to get out a little.”  Ino ducked her head to meet her shorter friend’s eyes.  “Come on, what’s the worst that can happen?”</p><p>“Hashirama is my boss.”  Sakura said stubbornly.</p><p>“You had lunch with him twice, once after you found out he was your boss.”  Ino smirked.</p><p>“How did you know about…”  Sakura growled.</p><p>“Naruto of course!”  Ino laughed and rolled her eyes.  “Now come on, the boys are waiting and hey, you don’t like Tobirama do you, cause he’s kinda hot huh?”</p><p>“Oh my gosh Ino, no!”  Sakura facepalmed.  “Don’t even think about…”</p><p>Ino was out the door before Sakura could complete her sentence.  This was bad.  What would Izuna say, what would Itachi do if he found out she went to a bar with...Hashirama Senju who …”Damn it Ino.”</p><p>Sakura stomped out onto her balcony to find Ino laughing with the Senju.</p><p>“So come pick us up at my place around 9pm.  Here’s my address and…”  Ino continued to talk to Tobirama as Sakura and Hashirama looked at one another, each wearing their own apprehensive look on their faces.</p><p>“How is your ankle Sakura?”  Hashirama asked politely.</p><p>“Good.”  Sakura answered him.  “I walked on it a bit too much this morning when I went out with Ino but it's better.  Don’t worry, I’ll be into work Monday.”</p><p>“Oh, good.”  Hashirama rubbed the back of his head.</p><p>It was awkward, this small talk.  Sakura’s eyes darted back to her friend who was leaning over the rail flirting with the younger Senju who didn’t seem to mind very much.</p><p>“They seem to be getting along better now.”  Sakura commented, watching Tobirama smile at her friend.</p><p>“It takes a few verbal jabs to warm up to Tobi, but once you do he’s easy to talk to.  For the most part.  I must say, your friend has quite a mouth on her.”  Hashirama laughed good naturedly making Sakura smile like she had when they had first met.</p><p>“I know.”  Sakura said quietly, leaning over the rail a little herself so he could hear her better.</p><p>“Ah.”  Hashirama understood, she wasn’t referring to his brother’s stellar conversational skills.  “I thought you might.  Izuna?”  He inquired.</p><p>“Yes.”  Sakura nodded.  “I’ll not judge you Hashirama but…”</p><p>“...but you think it is best we remain...co-workers?”  He smiled ruefully at her.  He understood, but he would admit he was definitely disappointed.</p><p>“Can we be co-workers if we have yet to work with one another?”  Sakura tried to smile, she felt bad, like she was doing something wrong or...she felt guilty and she didn’t like the feeling.  She had enough in her life to feel guilty about, she didn’t need this to weigh her down as well.</p><p>“It’s for the best.”  She gave a generic response.</p><p>“For the best.”  He agreed, not wanting to burden her with pointless protest, it was clear, she had made up her mind.  “So tonight?”</p><p>“I won’t be going.  Maybe Ino and Tobirama could...go by themselves or…”  Sakura looked down at her hands.</p><p>“It’s okay Sakura.  Don’t feel bad.  I understand.  I knew it was...asking too much from you, once I found out how deeply connected you were with the Uchiha.  Don’t worry okay?”  He smiled at her, making her feel worse.  “Some good might have come out of it yet though.”  He tilted his head toward Ino and his brother.</p><p>“True.”  Sakura smiled at her friend.  “They really seem to be hitting it off don’t they?”</p><p>“Your best friend and my brother...we’re bound to run into one another again.”  Hashirama said hopefully.</p><p>“I do live next door to Tobirama.”  Sakura admitted.  </p><p>“That you do.”  Hashirama shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.  “I should go, uh...I’ll see you around okay?”</p><p>“Yeah Hashirama.  See you.”  Sakura gave Ino a quick look telling her everything she needed to know, smiled at Tobirama and went back into her apartment to give Tobirama and Ino some privacy.</p><p>A few minutes later she heard Tobirama’s front door open and close, heard Hashirama walk down the stairs, pausing only a step or two as he walked by her door...heard him kick start his motorcycle, then roar down the street.  </p><p>Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath, one problem down...it was for the best.  Now for the other.  She pulled her phone from her pocket and tapped the edge against her leg.  Turning her head she looked at the vase of roses on her kitchen table, then down at her hand.  She could still feel the sting of the thorns even though the bleeding had long since stopped.</p><p>An annoying pain, like the voice in her head.</p><p>Itachi’s voice.</p><p>‘Three dozen roses’, he had told her.  ‘One dozen for each man I killed while I was away from you’</p><p>‘One rose for each time I thought I was coming home to you, only to be told...not yet’, he had said.</p><p>‘Madara’s death was only the beginning’, He reminded her.  ‘Izuna is not the true leader of the Clan Uchiha, he had informed her… ‘He only thinks he is’.</p><p>“Itachi...what have you and Madara done...and why, why doesn’t Izuna know, why keep him in the dark?”  ...but she knew why.  People with tender hearts like Izuna’s, couldn’t walk that fine line between care and cruelty, not like Madara...not like Itachi.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>”Sakura love, tell me what do you see?”  Madara handed Sakura a photograph under Itachi's careful eye.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sixteen year old Sakura took the picture from Madara’s hand and looked down at it, her eyes widening.  “A murder victim?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Look harder.”  Madara advised her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Itachi stood beside her, silently watching the light shift through her hair, through her eyes as she studied the picture.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oh.”  Sakura hummed her interest.  “A suicide made to look like a murder.”  She handed the picture back to Madara who smiled at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I wonder who they were trying to frame...were their prints on the gun, planted there?”  She asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Madara smiled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What makes you say that my dear?”  His smile was feral, his teeth sharp.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“The supposed victim is left handed, but the gun is in the right hand.”  She said thoughtfully.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“There’s not enough blood for a gunshot wound, he stabbed himself...repeatedly as though he were...redeeming himself.”  She added.  “Doesn’t a discharge leave residue though?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Redeeming himself?”  Itachi took the picture from Madara’s hand and looked at it once more.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Clever girl and why do you say that my dear?”  Madara leaned forward, taking both of Sakura’s hands in his own larger ones.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He was...crying.”  She looked at Itachi who frowned at the picture.  “He was, in turmoil, mentally.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Indeed he was.”  Madara let go of her hands and she realized...his thumb had been over her pulse, he had been…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How do you know he was left handed Sakura?”  Itachi asked her curiously.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“His knuckles.”  She looked at Itachi in surprise.  Clearly she thought he ought to have known.  “They are swollen and enlarged, um..thickened bone density from everyday use.  He was left handed, it is clearly his stronger hand.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Does the blood not bother you love?”  Madara poured a whiskey for himself settling back into his seat to observe her more leisurely.  “Are you not repulsed by such a sight?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“A sight of life lost or of torment Uncle?”  Sakura asked him not sure what he meant.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Do not call me Uncle Sakura, just Madara.”  His jaw tightened slightly, Itachi’s eyes flickered up to the man then down again, respectfully.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Of blood, of death.”  Madara clarified for her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“There are worse things than blood Madara, worse things than death.”  Sakura ducked her head, less she offended him.  “I do not presume to know more than you of such things, it is only…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Instinct?”  Madara smiled another sharp toothed smile at the girl.  “Yes, you have it.  Itachi has it but...sadly, my brother, Izuna, does not seem to have it.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Have ‘It’?”  Sakura looked from Itachi to Madara for clarification.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It.”  Madara nodded once, drained his glass, their conversation over.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>She hadn’t known what Madara had meant back then, but as she stared down at her phone, at Itachi’s picture...she thought that now,  she might.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The way I almost ended it...</p><p> </p><p>“It.”  Madara nodded once, drained his glass and pulled her from her seat onto his lap brushing her hair back from her face, kissing her softly.</p><p>Itachi watched his Uncle move the girl more comfortably onto his lap and kiss her more deeply.  His Uncle’s eyes met his over Sakura’s head.  A promise.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The beginning of the end</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ino handed the last clean plate to Sakura to dry, turned and leaned back against the kitchen counter.  </p><p>“Are you sure you’re okay with this?  It really was supposed to be a girl’s day.”  Ino felt a little guilty.  She had originally been trying to force her friend into a date with Hashirama but ended up getting a date with Tobirama for herself instead.</p><p>She knew Sakura was a bit of a hopeless case.  She had been in love with Itachi for so long, even before Sakura had known she was in love with him...Ino had known...had tried to tell her but...it hadn’t been until after Itachi had...left, that Sakura had even admitted she was the slightest bit interested in the guy.</p><p>Ino knew the real reason Sakura had ended up with Sasuke was because he reminded her of his brother, of Itachi, but Ino was far too good of a friend to mention it.  Even if both of them knew it to be true.</p><p>Even Sasuke knew, which is why he had tried so hard to trap Sakura in a marriage, Sasuke really did love Sakura but...he had always had a ‘Little brother’ complex, an insatiable obsession to surpass his brother Itachi. </p><p>Ino watched her friend, she had done it again, leaned against the wrong man, again with Izuna.  Ino wondered who had instigated that disaster and if Itachi...understood the meaning behind the flaw.  Probably, the man was a freaking genius...</p><p>“It’s fine Ino, really.  I have two more boxes to unpack and plenty of books to read.  Really.”  Sakura smiled at her friend.  “I might even take a bath.”</p><p>“Yeah?”  Ino tried not to smile or look too excited but she couldn’t help it.  She was excited for her date with Tobirama, really excited.  She wouldn’t abandon Sakura if she needed her, but maybe what Sakura needed most was a night by herself to think and to decide what was best for herself.  </p><p>Ino made a mental note to send Izuna a...text later telling him thanks for understanding that her and Sakura needed time alone, to ensure he left her alone for the rest of the night.  Ino knew that if Izuna knew Sakura was alone, he would be over to Sakura’s apartment in an instant.</p><p>Sakura was strong and could stand a lot.  She was a good friend and would do anything for any number of her close friends but Izuna...Ino thought, relied on her a little too much and that’s not what Sakura needed.</p><p>No, Ino smiled at her friend who was putting on a brave face for her benefit.  Sakura needed a strong man, that when she needed to, she could lean against, not the other way around.</p><p>Sakura, unaware of Ino’s thought continued to talk.</p><p>“Tobirama seems like a nice guy and a bit more stable than his brother but...do me a favor Ino and just, be careful okay?”  Sakura said more seriously.  “I can’t tell you why but, just, be safe.  Don’t leave Tobirama’s side or drink too much or…”</p><p>“Chill Forehead, it’s just a date.”  Ino waved Sakura’s warning away.</p><p>“Ino.  I’m serious.”  Sakura touched her arm to get her attention again.  “I’ll be worried.  Text me when you get home, I don’t care what time it is okay?”</p><p>Blue eyes widened a bit.  It had always been like this growing up with Sakura, who was...an unofficial Uchiha.</p><p>Madara or Itachi would warn Sakura, and then Sakura would warn Ino.  </p><p>“I guess there are still some benefits of being an unofficial Uchiha huh?  Being privy to the Chief of Police and all that.  What is it now?  Stalkers?  Kidnappers?  Sex trafficking?”  Ino laughed.</p><p>Sakura flinched, then cringed.</p><p>“No way!”  Ino gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.  “Is it a stalker?”</p><p>“Uh, no just, some women over the last few years have disappeared from um, public events.”  Sakura tried to word it the best way she could without betraying Izuna’s trust.  “Just be careful and keep your hand over your drink okay?”</p><p>“No problem, that’s Dating 101 girl.”  Ino hugged her friend, grabbed her keys and headed for the door.  “I need to find an outfit and start getting ready.”</p><p>Sakura looked at her watch, it was only 3pm.  “Ino it’s only…”</p><p>“Did you not see Tobirama Sakura?  He’s hot!  I have to look better than him or someone might try to steal him at the bar!”  Ino waved her hands in the air.</p><p>“Right.”  Sakura laughed.  “What was I thinking...of course it would take you 5 hours to get ready for your date.”</p><p>“For suuuure….”  Ino waved as she walked out the door, smiled and ran down the steps of Sakura’s apartment.</p><p>“Hopeless.”  Sakura smiled and closed her front door, thoughts of reading, unpacking her last two boxes and a nice long hot bath flitted through her mind.</p><p>It had barely been a day since he had left her apartment and yet he was anxious.  He had always been this way though, even as a child.  Being in this clan, this family with all it’s hidden agendas and corruption had always made him...uneasy.</p><p>Izuna walked to the side board in the living room, poured two fingers worth of gin and knocked his head back.  He set the small crystal glass back on the counter beside Madara’s whiskey tumbler.  He had never been able to drink whiskey like Madara, he simply didn’t have the stomach for it.</p><p>...did Sakura like whiskey?</p><p>Alone in the manor, Izuna walked down the hall to the library and stood in the empty doorway looking in.  Too many times he had come home and found Sakura curled up on the couch reading a book, his brother at his desk working and Itachi...when he was home in Konoha, in the chair beside the couch facing Sakura, a book in hand, reading glasses on the tip of his nose.</p><p>Izuna moved into the room and sat on the couch, where Sakura had always sat.  His eyes traveled around the room.  It was a good vantage point.  You could see the windows along the far wall into the woods, the desk where Madara sat and the chair...where Itachi sat all from one angle.  He had never realized that before now.  </p><p>Had she done it on purpose?  Sat there at the angle so she could monitor the comings and goings of the manor, the room...her own little world with a single glance?</p><p>Izuna moved to the chair, where Itachi tended to sit and looked around the room.  From his face forward position the only thing he could see was the door and...and Sakura.  Izuna turned his head around, twisted in the chair and looked out the window behind him.  Was Itachi not worried about his back?</p><p>“Oh.”  Izuna’s eyes landed on Madara’s desk.  “Of course.”</p><p>Itachi didn’t need to watch his back, when Madara was.</p><p>Izuna got up from the chair and walked over to the desk pulling the expensive, heavy leather chair out from its place, the wheels creaking with disuse.  He sat down in the chair, his brother’s chair.  It too, like the house, seemed too big for him now that Madara was gone, like he...wasn’t enough, like he didn’t belong there.</p><p>Dark eyes covered the open space.  The door, the windows, the couch and the chair.  The Master of all.</p><p>“What the hell am I doing here?”  Izuna laid his head down on the smooth wood grain surface of the former clan head’s desk...Madara’s desk.  “Itachi’s right.  I don’t belong here.”</p><p>Izuna lifted his head up, sat back in the chair and closed his eyes.  It was too much.  He wasn’t enough, he didn’t have that drive, that ambition and...he needed to talk to Sakura.  He needed to, to...he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked his messages.  She hadn’t replied to his text.</p><p>“Damn it.”  He slid his phone back in his pocket.  He was pathetic.  He couldn’t keep running to her for...reassurance, for support.</p><p>Izuna pushed the chair back from the desk, his knee hitting the underside. </p><p>THUMP</p><p>Izuna paused, looked down.  It sounded, hollow.  “What?”</p><p>Pushing the chair all the way back Izuna knelt down on the floor and peered under the desk.  It looked like the underside of a desk, nothing special, but he knew what he heard.  Rapping his knuckles along the underside of the wood inch by inch, he heard it again, paused.</p><p>Reaching up with the tips of his fingers he felt along the wood grain until...he felt the slightest difference, the grains clashed and parted.  There.  He pressed his fingertips into the relief and the panel popped out into his hands.</p><p>“What do we have here?”  Izuna lifted the panel up onto the surface of the desk and looked down into the thin hidden drawer.  “Madara.”</p><p>Izuna set the false drawer on top of the desk and looked down at a medium sized, thick, leather bound gentleman’s Journal.  Izuna’s black eyes darted around the room.  Quickly, he moved to the library door, locked it and walked back tot he desk.  With a quick apology to his brother’s soul, he reached out and picked up the book, turning it to the first page.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Izuna.  I’m sorry.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Izuna’s brow furrowed, he didn’t understand.  How did Madara know that...It was addressed to him and...</p><p>Izuna turned the page and froze.  At the top of the page, it was dated in Madara’s small precise strokes...April fifteenth, ten years past.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Izuna I’m sorry but you will not succeed me.  In my passing, Itachi will become the new clan head of the Uchiha.  Please brother...allow me to explain so that you may understand.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Understand…”  Izuna closed the book and closed his eyes.  “I already understand.”</p><p>…..he had never been more wrong.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>UNEDITED CHAPTER 21 ALTERNATE CHAPTER</p><p>...try not to get the content confused with the actual chapter events because it might get confusing moving forward.</p><p>I usually post the alternate or cut outs at the end of the fic once it is completed, but someone complained they forget what is happening during the fic to piece it together, so this time...I am trying something new and posting right after the OFFICIAL chapter.</p><p>....again, do not get the events confused with the actual chapter, or you know, no make sense stuff.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Izuna lifted up a thin stack of pictures, pictures of Sakura, Madara and Itachi, letters to and from Sakura’s parents signed notarized and stamped with the Konoha city seal.  Slowly Izuna sifted through the papers until he found an envelope with Itachi and Sakura’s name on it.  Frowning, Izuna opened the envelope and unfolded the tri folded thick cream paper within.</p><p>“A marriage contract?”  Izuna mumbled as he read.  “For Sakura and…”</p><p>“Brother, what the hell were you planning?”  Izuna looked down at the unsigned marriage contract for one Madara Uchiha and one underaged Sakura Haruno.</p><p>“He was planning on marrying her of course.”  </p><p>Izuna’s head snapped up.  “Itachi.”  He dropped the papers back into the false drawer, his shoulders ridgid, his eyes burning.</p><p>“I told Madara to tell you, sot hat you wouldn’t be under any false pretenses, but he fell ill before he could tell you.  If it helps set your mind at ease, he ment to tell you.”  Itachi walked into the room as though he owned it, as though he and not Izuna...belonged there.</p><p>“Madara was going to...marry Sakura but, this was, this was drawn up when she was only seventeen.”  Izuna picked the contract back up, checked the date, then looked back up at Itachi for an explanation.</p><p>“You appear not to have read any further than the contract Izuna.  Her parent’s signed her over to the Uchiha when she was 16 years old, granted him custody.”  Itachi sat down on the couch, in Sakura’s spot.</p><p>“...but.”  Izuna didn’t understand.</p><p>Itachi sighed.  “They died remember?”  He reminded him.</p><p>“I remember.  They died in a plane crash, her senior year of highschool.”  Izuna still didn’t understand.</p><p>“That’s what we told her, the truth is, they were murdered.  They came to Madara becuase they knew he could protect her and begged him for his...help.  Madara had always liked Sakura, respected her and so he had agreed with one stipulation.”  Itachi watched Izuna’s mouth open and close.</p><p>“Marriage?”  Izuna didn’t understand.  “Why would Madara want to marry Sakura she was only a child back then, she was only…”</p><p>“She was seventeen, old enough to marry with her parent’s consent.”  Itachi nodded to the papers on the desk.  “Which he had.”</p><p>“Then why didn’t they get married?”  Izuna looked down at the papers in front of him.</p><p>“Madara fell ill.”  Itachi said simply.  “When het got better, she was dating Sasuke.”</p><p>“Oh.”  Izuna understood.  His brother wouldn’t want a soiled bride.  “I understand.”</p><p>Itachi almost pitied the man.  Almost.  “No, you don’t Izuna.  You seem to be under the impression that my little brother took Madara’s marital rights from him but he didn’t.”</p><p>Izuna’s head snapped up to Itachi’s.</p><p>“I did.”  Itachi rose from the couch, walked over to the desk and stood in front of Izuna.  “Just like I am the Clan Head and you are the Figure.”</p><p>Izuna couldn’t speak, he hadn’t been expecting this…  “Itachi I…”</p><p>“Have been kept in the dark for your own protection.”  Itachi pulled a paper from his coat pocket and handed it formally to Izuna, with both hands.  “Shisui!”  Itachi called out, his eyes never leaving Izuna’s.</p><p>Shisui walked into the room, he must have been waiting just outside the door Izuna realized.</p><p>“Shisui will bear witness to this transaction.”  Itachi inclined his head to his cousin, then his Uncle.</p><p>“Transaction, you mean mutiny?”  Izuna growled.</p><p>“I suggest you read that letter from your brother before you continue on your slanderous tirad, Uncle.”  Itachi’s voice was enviously smooth and terribly condescending.</p><p>“Please.”  Shisui added politely, bowing low to Izuna for formality's sake.</p><p>Izuna tore open the envelope, and looked down at the letter.  He recognized Madara’s hand.  “Madara.”</p><p>Itachi watched Izuna sink back down into the chair behind the desk and waited.  He knew what the letter said, he had watched Madara write it, stamp it and seal it.  Shisui watched Izuna read the letter and wondered, how will this end.  His fingers twitched at his side, his eyes darted from Itachi to Izuna...if Izuna chose to fight, it could get...bloody and the person who would get hurt the most out of all of them would be...Sakura.</p><p>“So.”  Izuna set the letter down on the desk.  “My brother never had faith in me after all.  Well, congratulations Itachi.”</p><p>Izuna rose from his seat, crumpled the letter up in his hand and made to leave the room.</p><p>“One more thing Izuna.”  Itachi turned to face his Uncle.</p><p>“What?  What else could you possibly want that you don’t have?”  Izuna demanded.</p><p>“Sakura.”  Itachi began.</p><p>“No.”  Izuna took an aggressive step forward.</p><p>“Allow me to finish Uncle.”  Itachi’s fingers twitched at his side.  “Sakura, was never yours.  You may have had one night with her, but that was only because I allowed it.  Think of it as payment, for your loss.”</p><p>“Excuse me?!”  Izuna’s fists clenched and unclenched.  “Payment?  Sex with her as payment!”</p><p>“Itachi.”  Shisui didn’t like what his cousin was saying, if Sakura found out about this…</p><p>“You misunderstand, again.”  Itachi said calmly.  “I allowed her to use you for her own selfishness.”</p><p>He took two steps toward his Uncle and cocked his head to the side.  “Let me ask you something Uncle.  Who asked who to bed, you or Sakura?  Who undressed who, did you undress her or did she take her clothes off first.  I know Sakura Izuna.”</p><p>Itachi twisted the knife deeper.  “Who said I love you during sex?  You?  Or Sakura?”</p><p>“You bastard, how could you know that…”  Izuna didn’t know what to do.  He didn’t know how Itachi knew these things.  Had Sakura told him?  No...no.</p><p>“When you called her today, she was home, talking to me.”  Itachi stepped closer to his Uncle.  “When you texted her, she was eating pizza, with Hashirama Senju and his brother Tobirama on their balcony.”</p><p>Itachi leaned over his Uncle from his taller advantage.  “How can you protect her when you can’t even set a trusted tail on her...Uncle?”</p><p>“Obito.”  Izuna whispered his understanding of the situation.</p><p>“Is loyal to me.”  Itachi leaned back on his heels.  “Sakura, is loyal to me.  You were just a stand in, a reminder, the push she needed to remember who she really belongs to.”</p><p>“The roses.”  Izuna narrowed his eyes at Itachi.  “She knew they were from you.  She knew and she...lied to me.”</p><p>“Guilt is a fantastic motivator Uncle.”  Itachi walked past his Uncle toward the door.  “You may remain in the manor house Uncle, I have no need for it.”</p><p>Shisui bowed quickly to Izuna and left him to follow Itachi.</p><p>Madara’s words came back to him as he stood alone in the library.</p><p>
  <em>“Let Itachi run the family, from behind your shadow. He’s earned it.”</em>
</p><p>“So, this was your plan all along Madara.”  Izuna bowed his head.  Itachi was right, he hadn’t understood, he still didn’t.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I thought the marriage contract idea was  a bit out there, that's why I ended up cutting it out.</p><p>...I know this is terribly and annoyingly redundant, but to save confusion...this chapter is not part of the story I cut it out.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>”Madara wants me to join the military, he says I will learn more than he can teach me there.  Real time experience, he calls it.”  Itachi handed Sakura a stick of dango.  Ino hadn’t been in class that day, so he had taken the opportunity to ask her to the park on the way home from school and had stopped by the dango stand on the way there...since they were alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thanks.”  Sakura took the stick of dango from him with a smile.  “Do you want to join the military Itachi?”  She asked him, her eyes on the side of his face, reading his jawline.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m eighteen.”  He replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s not an opinion, it's a fact.  It’s like saying I like dango, because I’m fourteen Itachi.”  She rolled her eyes at him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t want to join.”  He said quietly.  “...but there are people I want to protect.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You can’t protect them from home?  Do they live far away?”  She inquired.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No, but…”  Itachi handed her another stick of dango from the box of three.  “Sometimes, they seem farther away than other times...and sometimes, all I need do is reach out and touch them.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He raised his hand and pushed the strap to her back pack off her shoulder, smiling a rare smile at her.  “Maybe if I join the military, I can do that one day.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Protect me?”  Sakura asked.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Touch you.  When I reach out for you.”  He clarified.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sakura broke down the two now empty boxes and set them by her front door.  She would take them out to the garbage the next time she went out.  Turning back to look at her apartment she smiled.  It was nice to live alone again.</p><p>She knew some people couldn’t live alone.  Not because of finances, certainly because of that in some cases, but more because of their personality.  Some people needed to be around others to feel safe, secure and to be happy.  Sakura wasn’t one of those people.  She found peace in solitude, she found relaxation in quiet.</p><p>That was something Sasuke had never understood about her, since childhood, nor had Naruto.  They needed to be around people, not next to them constantly, but in the same house with them or to know that when they went to sleep at night, someone would be ‘home’ eventually.</p><p>Maybe that’s why when Itachi had left...it hadn’t bothered her as much as it would have bothered other people.  Itachi was like that.  Like her.  He didn’t seem to mind the solitude, nor had Madara.  Even when they were together, they were mostly...silent.</p><p>After a while though, the silence wears on you.  After a while, the silence takes on a presence of its own and seeps into your skin, drawing out your warmth, consuming you.  That’s why she had eventually turned to Sasuke, that’s why she had eventually given up on Itachi and had gone to...his brother.</p><p>...that’s why, he hadn’t blamed her.  He understood.  They were more alike than anyone in the family realized, more alike than she had realized, until he had left.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>”Madara, when is Itachi going to come home?”  Eighteen year old Sakura sat in her usual spot on the couch in the Uchiha library, her book in her lap.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“When it is time.”  Madara continued to write in his book, his eyes never leaving the pages before him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He had been gone for two months now though.  Izuna told me he might not...come back.”  Sakura complained.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Perhaps it will be two more months until he returns then.  Izuna is wrong, Itachi will return to Konoha.”  Madara’s grip on his pen increased ever so slightly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What do you have him doing Madara?”  Sakura set her book down on the table, stood and walked over to Madara’s desk standing in front of it, watching him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Only in the privacy of his library did she speak to him so freely, only in the absence of others did she really say what was bothering her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Madara set his pen down and closed his book before folding his hand on the desk in front of him and lifting his eyes to hers.  “Do you miss him?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Of course.”  She cocked her head to the side, considering the man before her.  “Do you doubt me?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Not at all.”  Madara motioned for her to come closer to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura walked around the side of the desk and leaned against the wood.  Madara turned in his chair to face her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What do you think of my brother Sakura?  I hear that the two of you have been spending more and more time with one another in the dojo.  Do you find him an adequate sparring partner?”  Madara asked her, taking one of her hands in his, placing his thumb gently over her pulse.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Izuna is a decent fighter but he is not a MA.”  She tapped her finger against her lips that were pressed together in thought.  “He thinks, but only three steps ahead, he should have more foresight but…”  She stopped herself from speaking further.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“....but?”  Madara prompted her, telling her he knew what she was going to say and to say it, he would not be offended...he wanted the truth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He has no control.  He is too emotional.  He fights with emotion, when he ought to fight with calculation, logic.”  She told him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Exactly.”  Madara pulled her by the hand onto his lap and looked down at her.  “Such a clever girl, you will make a good leader one day, and your skill as a surgeon will no doubt come in handy, you are a great benefit to the clan little Sakura.  I’m very proud of you my girl.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lord Madara had never praised her like this before.  “Thank you Madara Sama.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Tell me, what do you think of Itachi?”  Madara asked her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I think he is far away.”  She said quietly.  “Too far for me to reach for him.  Too far to touch.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Madara lifted her chin up so that her soft green eyes met his hard black.  “It will not always be so Sakura.  If you reach out and touch something that you want, hold onto it tightly, do not let it go, because some things, once they are gone, once that one opportunity is lost, it will never come again.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Madara bent his head and kissed her, then pushed her off of his lap.  She stumbled, her hand pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Madara, what...what was that?”  She asked him nervously.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“An opportunity, one that I will never get again.”  He motioned for her to leave.  “Close is not always too far Sakura love.  Do not make the same mistakes I have made, the same mistakes...Izuna will make.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’m a fool Madara.”  Sakura tilted her head back, pushed her long hair over her shoulders and closed her eyes.  “If you were still alive, would you scold me, or just sit there in your quiet fury?”</p><p>“At least you were still alive to see me leave Sasuke.”  She recalled the fire in his eyes when Sasuke had told him they were dating.  Recalled his reply when Sasuke had asked permission for them to marry.  He hadn’t even asked her yet, but had asked Madara for his blessing...which he of course had refused to give.</p><p>Sakura shuddered.  He had been furious, she had never felt more frightened, more guilty, like she had disappointed him beyond…</p><p>…..he hadn’t punished her though.  He hadn’t punished Sasuke either.  He had told them they could move in together, he had spoken to her and only her before they had been dismissed.</p><p>‘Feel the desperation of your own demise, love, and learn from this.’  That’s what he had told her.</p><p>That’s why she had never been able to tell Sasuke that she loved him, truthfully.  She didn’t, not like he loved her.  It was a lie.  The two times she had told him she loved him the way he wanted her to, had been a lie.</p><p>She and Ino had cleaned up the dishes from lunch with Tobirama and Hashirama but they hadn’t put the wine away.  Sakura picked up the one empty bottle and threw it into the trash bin under the sink, grabbed the other two bottles, blessing Ino and her generous heart as she carried them and a single wine glass into the bathroom for later.</p><p>First, she would take the opportunity to read, just read.  It had been a long time since she had this much time to herself and she wanted to take full advantage of it.  There were some decisions to be made, but she knew in order to make the right decision, first...she must clear her mind.  What better way to do that, than to think about something else.</p><p>She smiled as she ran her finger down and across her bookshelves, picking out her favorite icha icha book Kakashi had given her for her birthday last year.  Blushing, even though she was alone, she moved to her couch, curled up into a half ball and cracked it open.</p><p>Several hours later, Izuna turned the last page of his brother’s journal, his fingers stiff and his heart bleeding.  Madara’s words could barely be seen through his tears and his anger.  His brother thought he was...worthless.</p><p>Madara hadn’t used that word, he hadn’t had to...Izuna understood...</p><p>He closed the book without reading the last page and pushed it to the side of the desk, letting his head fall onto the polished surface as the tears fell down his face.</p><p>It was one thing to list your flaws yourself, all of the worst things you thought of yourself in your own head, but it was another to read it in the journal of your dead brother’s.  To know that not only you thought the worst of yourself, but that the one person you admired most in the world...also thought them of you was just…</p><p>“Too much.”  Izuna clenched his fists at his side.  “You always ask for too much Madara!”  He screamed into the desk, his tears dripping from his eyes onto the dark mahogany, his fists slamming down beside his head.</p><p>“You’re dead and still you ask too much!”  Izuna screamed again.  “Give her up?  Give her up to him!  How did you know I would even have her!”  He cried out into the empty library.  “How could you possibly have known she would comfort me when you…”</p><p>“Damn it Madara no!”  Izuna stood up and flung the leather chair aside.  “If I can not be clan head I will at least have her!”  He picked his brother’s journal up off the desk and flung it into the unlit fireplace.  </p><p>“Burn in hell brother, your days of controlling me are over.”  Izuna stalked out of the library pulling the phone from his pocket as he left.</p><p>So consumed with his emotions, so consumed in his own anger...Izuna never saw Itachi slip back into the library after he had left, bent over, pick up the book from the fireplace and tuck it into the back of his pants.</p><p>“You can not have that which never belonged to you, Izuna San.”  Itachi snapped the false drawer back into place under the desk and shut the door to Madara’s library softly behind him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura turned the taps to her bath and poured herself a glass of wine.  Flipping to the next page in her icha icha book she sipped her wine as steam rose up around her.  She could hear her phone ringing from her bedroom but ignored it.  She doubted anyone important would be calling her.  It was Saturday night.</p><p>Ino was with Tobirama, Hashirama had gone home.  Izuna was at the Uchiha manor settling into his new position and Itachi was...Sakura let her book drop a bit in her grasp.  Itachi was probably with Shisui, training or…</p><p>“It doesn’t matter.”  Sakura drained her wine glass and poured herself another.</p><p>It didn’t matter what Itachi did, she was with Izuna...only…</p><p> </p><p><em>‘Open your eyes.  When you touch yourself I want you only to see me, to feel my touch on your skin…’  </em>  Izuna had told her.</p><p> </p><p>...but it wasn’t him she saw, it wasn’t his touch she felt.  It had only ever been Itachi's.  Even when she had been with Sasuke...she had always been making love to Itachi.</p><p>Sakura drank down her glass of wine.  She was alone and she wouldn’t be going anywhere else, it was okay if she...drowned her anxiety, her indecision to…</p><p>“Who am I kidding?”  She asked herself, pouring herself a third glass, emptying the bottle, her eyes moving to the second bottle.  “Ino, you’re the best.”</p><p>With her wine in one hand and her book in her other, Sakura settled into her bath with a sigh.</p><p>Izuna sat in his car in the manor garage, his nerves jumping through his skin, adrenaline pumping through his veins.  He was angry, he was hurt , he was...so fucking jealous of Itachi that he couldn’t stand it.</p><p>The man was everything he had ever wanted to be, had done everything Izuna had wanted to do and ...and...his brother even in death favored him more than him, Izuna, his own brother!</p><p>“Damn it!”  Izuna punched his dashboard cracking the fiberglass panel.  “I’ll never be good enough, never.”</p><p>Is this how the rest of the clan saw him?  Was this how...Sakura saw him?</p><p>No, she didn’t.  He had come to her, he had asked her to let him be weak, yes, but...she had let him.  Sakura had held him, kissed him, let him come to her, let him touch her, let him…</p><p>“She didn’t say it back.”  He shook his head to dislodge the horrible, selfish thoughts pooling and rolling around in his head.  “She didn’t tell me she loved me back.”  He grit his teeth.</p><p>It hadn’t bothered him at the time, he hadn’t allowed himself to think about it too hard because...because...he knew the answer.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>”Izuna, when do you think Itachi will return to Konoha?  It’s been four months now.  I’m starting to get worried.”  Sakura asked him as they sat on the back garden porch of the manor house together the day before Sakura’s first day of college.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t know if he is coming back Sakura.”  He had told her the same thing two months ago.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Madara assures me he will return.  I just wish I knew when.”  He watched as her eyes wavered.  He grit his teeth.  Everything was always about Itachi…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You don’t need to worry Sakura.  Sasuke and Naruto will be right down the block from you at university, Madara has made the arrangements, didn’t he tell you?”  Izuna asked her trying to change the subject.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura nodded.  “I know, I am grateful it’s just that.  I miss him.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Izuna nodded, he had sensed, like others that Sakura and Itachi had grown closer and closer over the last year before he had left Konoha, and Izuna had done his best to comfort her.  They spent more and more time together, at the dojo, at the manor, like they were now.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m still here.”  He tried to smile at her.  “Even if Itachi isn’t, you can come to me Sakura if you need to, if it helps.  When you need someone other than Ino, or Naruto.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sakura smiled at him, but there was still that look in her eyes, that distant look and he knew...again, he wasn’t measuring up.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m not Itachi.”  He said quietly.  “...but if you miss him and need a friend, I can be that for you okay?”  Izuna touched her hand lightly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’ve become a beautiful woman Sakura.  If Itachi doesn’t come home soon, he might lose you to someone else.”  Izuna smiled a light smile at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Itachi and I aren’t together Izuna, we’re just...friends.”  She looked down at Izuna’s hand where his thumb was drawing little circles on the underside of her palm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her and Itachi were just friends.  He had, they had...experienced something new and then he had left...for months with no expected date of return.  If he had told her when he would be back, to wait for him...it would have been different, it would have meant...they were something more than friends, but he hadn’t.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had left and she was alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It wasn’t his fault.”  She mumbled to herself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What wasn’t his fault?”  Izuna squeezed her hand, bringing her attention back to himself.  “Did...something happen between you and Itachi Sakura?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Izuna had never been good at hiding his emotions, everything he felt was written on his face.  Sakura’s green eyes studied the man before her.  He was...looking for something, he was searching for something in her that she couldn’t give him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“No.”  Sakura pulled her hand from Izuna’s and rose to her feet stretching.  “Thank you for the tea Izuna.  I’m supposed to meet Ino at the library to go over our schedules for tomorrow and I still have a few things to do that I didn’t have a chance to do yesterday.  I’ll call you in a few days okay?  Maybe we can have lunch together on campus?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Izuna tried to smile, she was brushing him off, she never did this to Madara...  “Yeah, good luck on your first day Sakura.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Thanks Izuna.”  Sakura paused for just a moment, looking down at him, his bangs falling over his eyes and his long ponytail falling down his back, for a moment he looked like...Itachi.  Sakura bent over at the waist and kissed Izuna’s cheek.  “I’ll call you Izuna, see ya.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Izuna’s cheek tingled where she had kissed him, he watched her until the hem of her dress whisked around the corner of the manor house, his hand raising to his cheek.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“She wasn’t kissing you, Izuna, do not read too far into that one little kiss.”  His brother’s deep voice sounded behind him making him turn to face Madara.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“It was just a kiss.”  Izuna bit back.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“As long as you know that.”  Madara’s arms were crossed lazily over his chest, his back straight, his spiky locks flowing down his back.  “She’s loyal.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Izuna looked up at his brother with admiration and irritation.  “Would it be so bad if it was more than a kiss.  Whatever happened between her and Itachi doesn’t matter, he isn’t here, I am...because you kept me at home.”  Izuna’s voice was bitter.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You are not suitable for Sakura’s affections.  She is too strong for you.”  Madara looked down at Izuna.  “Everyone needs their counter balance Izuna.  Sakura is not right for you.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“...but Itachi, he’s strong enough for her?”  Izuna gave up, he’d never win.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We’ll see, when he returns.”  Madara turned back toward the manor, then paused, calling over his shoulder to his brother.  “Stop telling Sakura Itachi isn’t comming home Izuna and give up your pursuit.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I wasn’t…”  Izuna began.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You were.”  Madara turned around once more to face his brother.  “Lying to me is unacceptable.  Lying to yourself is...weak.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Weak.”  Izuna laid his head back against the driver’s headrest.  </p><p>Maybe he really was as weak as everyone thought, but Sakura was the only one who had never made him feel bad about it, the only one who had been there for him when...he had to see her.  He only hoped she would forgive him for interrupting her and Ino’s girls day.</p><p>“Lord Madara’s will is absolute.  That is not what concerns us Itachi Sama.”  One of the elders sitting in the back of the room spoke out.</p><p>“Yes Itachi Sama.  Our concern is Izuna San.  He will not take well to these revelations.”  Another elder warned.</p><p>“I am aware, your voice has been heard.”  Itachi inclined his head to the room of elders.  “Steps have already been taken to ensure a smooth transition.”</p><p>“Of course they have, not all of us are in attendance I see.”  The oldest member of the Uchiha counsel spoke out above the others from the front row.  “Lord Madara chose his successor wisely.”  The man inclined his head to Itachi.</p><p>“Thank you elder sama.”  Itachi inclined his head respectfully in return.</p><p>“...but Izuna San will…”  Someone spoke out of turn.</p><p>“Enough.”  Itachi’s voice remained level, calm, but stern.  “As long as Izuna San does not shame himself I see no reason for his position in the clan to change from what it was when Lord Madara was still with us.  He is still Lord Madara’s brother and deserves our respect.  Clan means, all.  I will not weigh one down for the sake of another.”</p><p>The same elder in the front row spoke again.  “Which is why you are the Clan head of the Uchiha.  Well said Itachi.”</p><p>Itachi nodded to the room.  “Dismissed.”</p><p>“Soooo….”  Shisui slid up alongside his cousin after the meeting.  “That went well hum?”</p><p>“It isn’t over yet.”  Itachi looked at his cousin, their eyes met.</p><p>“Ah.”  Shisui turned off to the side down another hall.  “I’ll text you when it’s done.”</p><p>Itachi nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket.</p><p>Sakura set her book down and sighed.  Her phone was ringing again, couldn’t she just have one night alone, one night of peace and quiet without interruption?</p><p>RING RING RING</p><p>Apparently not.</p><p>Sakura drank the rest of the wine in her glass, set the glass on her side board and stepped out of her bath.  Wrapping a towel around her waist she stumbled slightly, flushed with the heat of her bath and the alcohol in her bloodstream.  </p><p>“Maybe I drank a bit too much.”  She pressed her hand to her flushed cheeks as she hobbled to her bed for her phone that hadn't stopped ringing yet.</p><p>“Llo?”  She slurred just a little as she hit receive on her phone, hitching her towel back up over her breasts.</p><p>“Sakura?  Are you okay?”  Izuna’s voice came through the receiver.  “You sound a bit tired.”</p><p>“Hum?  I’m fine.  How are you Izuna?”  Sakura sat on the end of her bed, then whooped as she fell on her ass, onto the floor.  “Shit.”  She groaned.  She had misjudged the distance.  </p><p>“I think I might have drank too much.”  She mumbled, craning her next to the side to look back into her bathroom.  She had only drank one bottle, she shouldn’t be this...oh.  Two bottles.</p><p>“When did that happen?”  She said mildly surprised as Izuna’s voice rose on the phone.  “Hum?”</p><p>Izuna sighed.  “You’re drunk.  Is Ino drunk as well?”</p><p>“Ino went on a date with Tobirama, I took a bath.”  Sakura giggled into the phone.  “Isn’t that funny?  They hated one another at first but now they’re out on a date.”  She laughed.</p><p>Izuna had only ever seen or heard her this drunk once, when she had called him in college from a pay phone.  Sasuke, Naruto and some of their friends had gone to some stupid party at some unknown person’s house in the next city over, she had gotten separated from them in a crowd and had called him in a panic.</p><p>“I’m coming over, don’t go anywhere.”  Izuna hung up the phone.  Ino was on a date with Tobirama and no one had informed him.  Sakura was drunk and alone in her apartment and no one had informed him.  Madara’s will gave the title of head over to Itachi and no one had informed him formally, he had to find out from his dead brother’s journal that had been addressed to him hidden under his desk…</p><p>Izuna could stand a lot, but he had enough.  It was time he fought back, it was time he showed them who he really was, starting with Sakura.  </p><p>“Give her up, give her up to Itachi…”  He growled.  “Like hell I will.”</p><p>Sakura dropped her phone onto the carpeted floor beside her and sighed.  Laying down, wrapped up in her towel she moaned.  This isn’t how she thought her night was going to go.  Pushing herself up into a sitting position she looked around her room.  She needed to do something but she couldn’t think of what it was.</p><p>“Oh yeah.”  She needed to open the door for Izuna.  Forcing herself to her feet, she moved to her front door, flipped the lock, then walked into her living room.  “Ugh.”</p><p>She laid down on her couch, the towel slipping off her hips and legs barely covering her breasts.  Her eyes focused on her sliding glass door.  She hadn’t drawn the blinds...damn it...she thought in her head, I should do that...the desire to move fell from her head as her eyes closed.</p><p>Izuna parked his car and ran up the steps to Sakura’s apartment.  He hoped she wasn’t too far gone to listen to him.  He needed to talk to her, tell her about his brother’s journal and to hear what she had to say about it.  </p><p>“Damn it.”  He swore to himself, he ought to have brought it with him, he always did this, he never thought far enough ahead.</p><p>Izuna knocked on Sakura’s apartment door but there was no answer.  He waited impatiently, but she never came.  Reaching out he tried the knob, it turned...it was unlocked.</p><p>He found her on her couch in the living room, barely wrapped in a towel, passed out and unconscious.</p><p>“There goes talking to you in a reasonable fashion.”  He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration as he looked down at her.</p><p>“Come on, let’s get you to bed.  I guess we can talk in the morning.”  Izuna picked Sakura up off of her couch and walked to her bedroom laying her down in her bed.</p><p>Just as he was about to draw back from her, a small hand reached up and grabbed his shirt.  “Stay.”</p><p>Sakura’s eyes didn’t open, but her lips moved and he moved toward them.  </p><p>“I’ll stay.”  He spoke against her mouth crawling into bed with her.</p><p>“It’s done.”  Shisui hung his phone up after reporting to Itachi and nodded to Hatake and Obito.  “Itachi will take care of the other target, we’re meeting back at the manor house.”</p><p>“Right.”  Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets, turned to Obito.  “You drive.”</p><p>“Right.”  Obito pulled the keys from his pocket.  “Do you think he can do it?”</p><p>“Itachi?”  Kakashi pulled his belt over his chest and clipped it.  “You’ve never seen him in action before, have you Obito, he can do it.”  ‘...because he has to.’, he said to himself.</p><p>Obito looked at his friend.  “I owe him you know, we both do.”</p><p>Kakashi rubbed his chin and nodded.  “For Rin.”</p><p>“Yeah.”  Obito pulled out onto the dirt road heading back to Konoha.  “Do you think Sakura is ready, do you think she’ll understand?”</p><p>“Sakura is much stronger than anyone gives her credit for.  She can handle it.”  Kakashi said confidently.  “There’s a reason Madara set this plan of his in motion all those years ago you know.”</p><p>“How did he know, how could anyone have known what was to come though?”  Obito shook his head, he still hadn’t been able to completely wrap his head around how Madara had anticipated everything the way he had.  How could someone know what so many other individuals would do in the future, what they would become, how they would react.</p><p>“He didn’t.”  Kakashi said simply.  “He merely planned for every possible outcome and reacted accordingly.”</p><p>“Like a game of Shoji.”  Obito said.</p><p>“Like Shoji, only they are people not pieces of bone on a board.”  Kakashi watched the lights flicker by as they entered Konoha proper.</p><p>“Still bone.”  Obito turned onto Main Street.</p><p>“Still bone.”  Kakashi agreed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura’s breath was shallow as he ran his finger tips over the swell of her breasts, he could see her eyes moving back and forth under her lids as he traced the rounded curve of her soft mounds to the tips of her nipples.  Her breath caught in her lungs as he bent his head, flicking his tongue over her sensitive peaks.</p><p>“Mine.”  The word left his lips, slipped down the side of her breast to fall onto the cool softness of her bedsheet.  “Mine.”  He pressed his fingers into her flesh gripping her tight as he bit down gently making her moan.</p><p>“Ngh.”  Her hands rose up to twine through his hair.  “More.”  she arched her back shamelessly pressing his face down.</p><p>“So needy.”  Izuna pulled his head from her grasp, pulling his shirt off over his head, unbuckling his pants and letting them fall to her bedroom floor.  “So uninhibited.”  He smirked.</p><p>It was okay, he had never been born to be the head of the house, if he were honest with himself, he wasn’t qualified, but if he could keep her, if he could have this...it would be okay.  She was his, she wanted him, not Itachi, at least he had this...her.</p><p>“Please.”  Sakura reached out for him, pulling him closer.  “Why did you leave me?”  She almost cried.</p><p>“I told you I would be back.”  He didn’t understand, she had planned to spend the night with Ino, was she upset at him?</p><p>“You left me.”  Tears slipped past her closed lids to fall from the creases into her ears.  “I missed you.”</p><p>Izuna’s heart swelled.  He had been wrong, she did love him.  “I promise Sakura.  I‘ll never leave you again.”  </p><p>“Promise.”  Her voice was weak, she was begging him.  His heart broke.  It was going to be okay…</p><p>“I promise Love.”  Izuna lifted her leg, positioned himself at her heat and pressed into her a little at a time making her gasp and pull against him.  She was wet for him, she wanted him...not Itachi, him.  “I’ll never leave you again.”</p><p>“Never again.”  She arched her back rising to meet his thrust.  Her eyes flickering open then closed again as she began to move with him, under him.  </p><p>“You promised, once you returned, you promised you would never leave me again and…”  Her ankles locked behind his back as he pumped into her slowly at first, then more forcefully as he began to peak.</p><p>“Slow down Love, or I’m not going to last long.”  He warned her.</p><p>“No.  I’ve waited long enough.  You told me you loved me and then you left.  You’re back now and I…”  She was crying again, speaking too quickly, he didn’t understand.  He was the one in turmoil, he was the one who had found out that Madara and Itachi…</p><p>Izuna paused his movements.  She wasn’t talking about him, she was talking about…</p><p>“Sakura?”  Izuna rested his weight on his left forearm and looked down at her.  He lay on her as he questioned her.  “Who do you think I am?”</p><p>Sakura’s eyes fluttered open, a slice of green shining in the light.  “I…”  Her eyes widened.  </p><p>“Izuna.”  She gasped, sliding out from underneath him, dislodging him from her body and rolling off to the side.  She slipped, stumbled onto her feet off the bed and froze.</p><p>“Izuna I…”  She didn’t understand, wasn’t she, he was...she thought she had been dreaming but...her hand went to her head, it was beginning to ache.  The wine...kuso…</p><p>Izuna sat on the edge of her bed facing her.  Watching her struggle with her thoughts.  Anger swelling up inside of him...her too?  He didn’t know how much more he could take.</p><p>His voice shook.  “I meant everything I said to you.”  He lifted his head higher and straightened his shoulders.  “Did you?”</p><p>Sakura was horror struck, the look in his eyes was...he was angry, he looked like Madara at that moment and yet...her eyes fell to the long ponytail that hung over his shoulder, like Itachi and…”I’m sorry Izuna.  I thought you were...”</p><p>“No.”  He dropped his head. </p><p>‘No.’, he told himself.  ‘This Is not how this is going to end’, he raised his head, his eyes locking onto hers.  </p><p>“No.”  He said again reaching out for her arms, gripping her hard and forcing her back onto the bed.  “You’re mine.”</p><p>He pulled his belt up from the floor of her room and tied her hands above her head to the bed like he had done before.  “I have to have something to hold onto.  I’m not letting him take everything from me.  You’re too important to me.”</p><p>Izuna walked to Sakura’s dresser, leaving her on the bed, picked the packing tape up from the surface and walked back to her.</p><p>“What the hell do you think you’re doing Izuna?”  Sakura was too shocked to scream, too surprised to protest as he pulled a piece of tape from the roll and tore it, slapping it over her mouth.  His mood had sudden taken a U-turn and...was he going to...</p><p>“Showing you who you belong to.”  He threw the tape to the floor and climbed back onto the bed with her.  “Me.”</p><p>Spreading her legs, he thrust back into her hard.  “Itachi can’t have everything.  He can’t have you.  You chose me, you came to me, you’re mine.”  He gripped the underside of her legs and pressed her body back, curling her knees up, leaning over her pressing his forehead to hers.</p><p>“I’m not going to let you leave me.  I’m not going to let what my brother said would happen come to fruition!”  Izuna growled looking into Sakura’s wide eyes.  </p><p>She hadn’t said she was leaving him, she hadn’t said anything.  She had been dreaming and...what had happened?  Something had happened to push him over the edge, but she didn’t know what it was.  She couldn’t think.  He was hurting her, he was going deep and...</p><p>Tears slipped down her cheeks into her hair.  This wasn’t the kind Izuan she knew.  Something inside of him..had broken.  She began to struggle, but he had her locked down.  Too late she realized what was happening, too late did she realize...she had made the very mistake Madara had warned her against.</p><p>She closed her eyes as her body moved and jerked, she grit her teeth as Izuna fucked into her too hard with too much force.  Where was Itachi...she tried to kick out but her legs couldn’t move.</p><p>Sakura pulled on her restraints, the belt rubbing and cutting into her wrists, she tried to scream but her voice was muffled by the tape, she opened her eyes and saw...hatred in Izuna’s eyes.  A hatred she had never seen before.  She closed her eyes again, she didn’t want to see this, she didn’t want to...Izuna, she thought...get off, leave, please, leave…</p><p>“Mine.”  Izuna pulled back and away from her, spreading her legs open so he could watch his cock move in and out of her.  Finally, he had control over something, finally someone was at his mercy.  It felt...empowering.</p><p>Izuna pulled out of her before he could come.  “This isn’t over yet Sakura.  I want to show you what betrayal looks like, I want you to feel what I feel.  You thought I was Itachi didn’t you, when I was touching you, kissing you…”</p><p>He picked her up and moved her, pulling his belt for a little give and flipped her over.  Pressing her head down into her pillows, he bent with her.  “I’m sick of giving my all and getting nothing in return.  I’m not going to let you treat me like they do.  I told you I loved you!”</p><p>Sliding back he moved up against her ass, nudging her legs apart once more.  He paused.  He wanted to hear her scream.  He had never realized how sexy it could be to tie a woman down and use her like this.  To have all the control.  Reaching forward he ripped the tape from her mouth, headless of her pain.</p><p>She screamed, he loved it.</p><p>“Izuna get the fuck off of me right now you bastard!  What the hell do you think you’re doing?”  Sakura growled at him.</p><p>“Loving you.”  He slammed into her hard from the back making her cry out in pain.  “The way you deserve to be loved.”  He closed his eyes as he set a grueling pace.</p><p>Hashirama shut the door to his truck, he had forgotten his phone at his brother’s apartment.  He knew Tobirama was probably still out with Ino on their date but he had a key to his apartment and would only be a moment.  </p><p>As he climbed the stairs to Tobirama’s door he paused just outside Sakura’s apartment door and lifted his hand, then dropped it.  She probably wouldn’t want the interruption.</p><p>Hashirama began to step forward and away when he heard a muffled cry.  He paused looking at Sakura’s apartment door.  Was that...Sakura?  He waited, wondering what he should do.  It was probably nothing, it wasn’t any of his business anyway.  He took another step toward Tobirama’s door when he heard a very distinct scream.</p><p>“What the hell?”  He knocked on Sakura’s door gently.  </p><p>He heard another scream and a male’s voice.  Without thinking he turned the doorknob...it was unlocked, he ran into the apartment and looked around, nothing.  He could hear shuffling and small noises of protest coming from her...bedroom.  He tore down the hall only to come to a complete shocked stop at the sight before him.</p><p>“What the hell do you think you’re doing to Sakura Izuna San…”  Hashirama leapt forward, barely registering his movements.  </p><p>All he could see was red, the red blood dripping down Sakura’s forearms where Izuna had her bound to the bed, the red scratches and cuts down Sakura’s back where Izuna had clawed at her trying to restrain her and the tears in Sakura’s eyes from the pain and humiliation Izuna was forcing upon her.</p><p>The other man’s presence had barely registered in the back of Izuna’s mind as he was pulled from Sakura’s body, lifted into the air and slammed hard against the wall, something cold and sharp pressed against his underjaw, cutting narrowly into his neck.</p><p>“Explain yourself.”  Hashirama’s voice boomed throughout the small apartment while he held both of Izuna’s wrists behind his back, his knee pressed hard into his side holding him in place, his blade against the other man’s throat.</p><p>“This is none of your business Senju, leave.”  The anger in Izuna’s voice surprised Hashirama, but not enough for him to comply.</p><p>“It is my business, when I hear a woman crying out for help while she is being misused.  How dare you, brother of my best friend.  How dare you do something so foul, I thought you and her were...how could you!”  Hashirama’s voice shook with disgust and anger, he was revolted, he was ashamed...for Madara’s sake.</p><p>“Your brother would be appalled!”  Hashirama yelled at Izuna.</p><p>“Shut up!”  Izuna flexed, and kicked up hard, knocking Hashirma back and away.  “You know nothing Senju, shut up!”</p><p>The man looked insane.  His eyes bugged out of his head, blood dripped down the side of his neck...Hashirama thought he looked deranged.  Maybe he was.  It made him sad...but then his eyes saw Sakura, heard her struggling with her bonds and he hardened his heart.</p><p>“I’m taking you to the police, to Itachi.”  Hashirama took two quick steps forward, intending to immobilize Izuna again.</p><p>“Like hell.”  Izuna shot past him, grabbed his pants from the floor and ran out the door.</p><p>Hashirama started to run after him, but Sakura cried out in pain, stopping him in his tracks.  He turned to the bed where she lay naked and bound, her wrists twisted painfully in the belt Izuna had used to restrain her.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”  Hashirama approached her slowly.  “I’m sorry this happened to you Sakura.  Allow me to help you, please.”</p><p>Snot ran from her nose as she nodded, tears stained her cheeks and her face flushed red in shame.  “Don’t tell Itachi.”  She whispered.  “He’ll...kill Izuna.”</p><p>Hashirama set his jaw.  The man deserved what he got in his opinion,and she was right, Itachi would not hesitate to kill Izuna for this.  He had killed other men, for less.  Madara had told him some of the things Itachi had...accomplished.</p><p>“I’ll not be the one to tell him, but he’ll know.  You know I speak the truth.”  He caught her carefully as the belt slid free from her wrists and laid her down onto her bed.  “I’ll make some tea, while you...dress.”  He left her bedroom, his eyes averted, with respect.</p><p>“Hashirama.”  Sakura pulled her blanket up and over herself to cover her nakedness.</p><p>He turned back to her from her bedroom door, kind brown eyes cast to the floor.</p><p>“Thank you Hashirama.  For...saving me.”  Sakura looked up at him, fresh tears in her eyes.</p><p>Hashirama bowed to her from the waist.  “It was an honor to be of assistance to someone so important to my old friend, as you are Sakura chan.  Get dressed.  Hot tea does wonders for the nerves my dear.”</p><p>Sakura watched Hashirama leave her room and closed her eyes.  Hot tea and...redemption.  </p><p>She was in pain, she was humiliated and yet...there was a light inside of her, a warmth spreading over her.  It was going to be okay.  She would heal, she would get over this and Hashirama...had never looked more whole than he had a moment ago when he had looked into her eyes then away.</p><p>“At least something good came out of this.”  Sakura stood and walked to her bathroom.  There was still hot water in her tub.  She would just take a moment to...to wash away Izuna’s betrayal.</p><p>Ten minutes later, Sakura emerged from her room fully dressed, wet hair combed and hanging down her back to find Itachi, sitting at her kitchen table across from Hashirama.  Her bottom lip quivered and she took a step back, she wanted to run, she didn’t want him to see her like this.  Somehow she knew that...he already knew what had happened and…</p><p>“Sakura.”  Itachi’s voice was low, controlled and it made her want to run even more.  He was angry.  He knew.  “Come here.”</p><p>Sakura bit her lip.  She had nothing to be ashamed of.  She lifted her head and squared her shoulders.</p><p>Itachi watched her walk toward him, watched her find her resolve and nodded to her.  “Good.”</p><p>“Where is he?”  Sakura asked Itachi as though they were the only ones in the room.</p><p>“Fleeing.”  Itachi raised his hand to touch the side of her face, she flinched.  His hand dropped back onto the table.  “He will be found.”</p><p>“...and when he is?”  Sakura met Itachi’s hardened black eyes.</p><p>“He will be dealt with.”  Itachi told her ruthlessly.</p><p>“Itachi.”  Sakura began.</p><p>“It is my right.”  He stood up from the table.  “You are coming back to my home tonight.”</p><p>“No.”  Sakura stood her ground.  “I’ll stay here.  He won’t come back.”  She said more confidently than she thought.  Honestly, she thought Izuna would be back as soon as he could to..finish things between them.</p><p>“No.  I will not allow you to put yourself in harm's way.”  Itachi narrowed his eyes at the woman.</p><p>“If I may?”  Hashirama interrupted them.  “Perhaps Sakura could stay with my cousin tonight?  Tsunade at our estate?  I will not be there, as you know I moved out some years past, so you see, it will just be the girls, uh women.  Toka will be there too, Sakura.”  Hashirama smiled at the woman before him, his eyes moving back and forth between the two.</p><p>Sakura saw the decision in Itachi’s eyes before the words left his mouth.  </p><p>“Fine.”  He turned to the Senju.  “You have my thanks.  Sakura.  I will have Obito drive you, pack a bag.  I will come for you when...after.”  Itachi didn’t wait for her answer, there was no need, he already knew.</p><p>“I’ll just um, give Tsuna a call.”  Hashirama stepped out of the kitchen into the living room giving Sakura a much needed minute alone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. The End</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning Obito met Itachi by the stairs in the main hall of the Uchiha manor.</p><p>“We found him.”  Obito told Itachi.  “Exactly where you said he would be, how did you know he would go there of all places?”</p><p>“Human nature Obito.”  Itachi walked past Obito and out the front door.</p><p>“Right.”  Obito looked down at his hands.  Strong hands that hadn’t been enough to protect Rin, but were strong enough to serve a worthy man, like Itachi.</p><p>“Obito.”  Sasuke’s voice came to him from the other end of the hall.</p><p>“Yeah?”  Obito took in the younger man’s appearance.  His clothes were crumpled and looked like he had slept in them.</p><p>“Is Sakura, alright?”  Sasuke asked, his voice unusually polite.</p><p>Obito understood.  “Yeah kid.  She’s going to be just fine, you’re brother is taking care of it.”  He walked over to Sasuke and laid his hand on his shoulder.  “Don’t worry.  She’s strong.  Stronger than both you and I, she’ll pull through. Tell Naruto not to worry okay.”</p><p>Sasuke nodded and swallowed.  “I almost made the same mistake.”  He looked down at his toes and shuffled his feet.  “You know, as Izuna San, I tried to…”</p><p>“You didn’t.”  Obito said firmly.  “You could have but you didn’t.”  The older man assured him.</p><p>Sasuke nodded, turned and walked back out the other door at the end of the hall.  Obito sighed.  History, this time, wouldn’t repeat itself.</p><p>Izuna heard the crush of the gravel under the tires and knew, the time had come.  He knew it wasn’t worth running and no matter what his brother thought...he wasn’t a coward, maybe he was weak but he wasn’t...a complete coward.</p><p>“Itachi.”  Izuna didn’t bother to turn around.  It would only be him, Itachi.  He had always preferred to do his killing...alone.</p><p>“Izuna.”  Itachi closed the door to the Uchiha mausoleum behind him, shutting out the light.</p><p>“I’m...sorry.”  Izuna sniffed.</p><p>“Sorry.”  Itachi‘s voice cut through the dim and the dust.</p><p>“For everything.”  Both of them knew the weight of the word.</p><p>“I see.”  Itachi pulled the ancient sword from his long coat, and stepped up behind Izuna.</p><p>“I suppose you do.”  Izuna turned around to face his death like a man.  For once in his life, he would do his brother proud.  He wouldn’t let his end come from the back, he would face it head on.</p><p>“Take care of her.”  Izuna looked Itachi in the eye as the sword arched out gracefully through the air.</p><p>“I had always intended to, from the first…”  Itachi’s arm bent at the bow as the stroke followed the warm blood splattered against the cold marble wall.  “...to the last.”</p><p>Izuan’s body remained upright for the spanse of three full seconds before crumbling to the floor, his head several feet away rolled to a stop at the base of his brother’s marble resting place.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>longest one shot ever.</p><p>I'm not sure what to work on next, one of my open fics or one of my million new ideas...hum.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>